Money Laundering: Fani-Kayode Re-arraigned By EFCC

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday re-arraigned a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, before a Federal High Court, Lagos on N100 million money laundering charges.

Fani-Kayode, whose arraignment for the same charges was the fourth since they were first instituted against him in 2008, again, pleaded not guilty to all the 40 counts.

The re-arraignment before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia on Thursday followed the amendment of the previous 47 counts of money laundering charges involving about N230 million.

It made the second time of arraigning the accused before Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia after two other judges had previously handled the matter.

Ofili-Ajumogobia, after the re-arraignment on Thursday granted the plea by the accused person’s lawyer, Mr. Wale Akoni (SAN), to allow his client to continue in the bail conditions he was earlier granted.

The judge fixed trial for March 10, 17, 18 and 19. The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo, assured the court that he would call all his witnesses and complete the prosecution’s case within the four days.

In the amended charges, Fani-Kayode was accused of accepting various sums of money totalling N100 million between July 7, 2006 and May 11, 2007 without passing through a financial institution.

The transaction was said to have violated the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act which sets the limit of cash transaction at N500,000.

The accused was said to be, within the period when the offences were allegedly committed, serving as the Minister of Culture and Tourism and afterwards the Minister of Aviation.

He was accused of violating the law by further depositing the cash payments in his investment account with the First Inland Bank, Plc, Apapa Branch (now First City Monument Bank Plc) for 90 days.

The offences were said to have contravened Section 15(1)(d) and punishable under section 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.

Material Credit: Punch

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