Choi,this man don use tortoise sense empty government account!
The trial of Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, continued Tuesday with the prosecution witness detailing how the defendants allegedly laundered millions of Naira.
Adebayo Adeniyi, the EFCC witness, told the court how the defendants collected N13.5 million for honorarium, N4.5 million for renovation of the Speaker’s residence, and N1.5 million for the Speaker’s Guest House every month for six consecutive months.
Mr. Ikuforiji and Oyebode Atoyebi, his aide, are facing a 54-count amended charge of money laundering amounting to over N600 million.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, accused the Speaker and his aide of receiving the money from the Lagos State House of Assembly without passing through a financial institution.
The trial was adjourned last January for the prosecution to provide a summarized version of the monies collected by Mr. Ikuforiji and his aide.
But on Tuesday, Godwin Obla, counsel to the EFCC, said that he would rather continue with his previous method to avoid any grounds for appeal.
It was a painstaking effort that required Mr. Obla to go through each of the transactions with the witness. The judge admitted that, but overruled the defence’s plea that the prosecution tabulate the relevant sections of the transactions.
2011 TRANSACTIONS
Mr. Adeniyi continued his testimony by stating how the Lagos House of Assembly paid millions of naira to Mr. Ikuforiji; his wife, Mayowa; his orderly; his personal assistant; as well as the state’s Deputy Speaker.
All the monies were collected by Mr. Atoyebi and paid for in cash, the witness said.
On July 14, 2011, N5.4 million was paid to Mr. Ikuforiji for a trip to San Diego, California; his personal assistant and orderly collected N1.3 million and N1.2 million respectively, according to Mr. Adeniyi.
On August 1, 2011, N4.4 million was paid to the Speaker as “cost of allowance”; his personal assistant and orderly pocketed N1.2 million and N1.1 million respectively.
Two days later, N10 million was paid to the Speaker for Ramadan,
On August, 2011, N6.4 million was paid to Mayowa Ikuforiji, the Speaker’s wife; and N1.3 million to the wife’s orderly, the witness said.
Between January and June 2011, N13.5 million was paid as honorarium, every month, to the Speaker
.
He said N4 million and N1 million were also paid monthly, within the stated period, for the renovation of the Speaker’s official residence and guest house respectively.
Asked why there were columns with Cheque Numbers in the cash register, Mr. Adeniyi responded that: “What they do is that a cheque is raised in most cases in the name of the Permanent Secretary and cashed from the bank.
2010 TRANSACTIONS
“Basically, these cash payments are supposed to be made through a financial institution, paid to the beneficiarien bgvfs, not through cash payments. Cash payments stall the tracing of the monies.
“We discovered that some of it was paid into the account of the first accused person. Some of it was used for his credit card and other personal matters,” he added.
During cross examination by Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Mr. Ikuforiji, Mr. Adeniyi said that he was not aware what the Speaker used the monies for.
“From our investigation, we did not go in depth into who approved the disbursements, we were particular about the cash disbursement which was above the threshold of transactions by a Permanent Secretary.
“Any payment must be made through e-payment, most especially when it is above the threshold,” Mr. Adeniyi said.
When shown one of the cash registers by the defence lawyer, Mr. Adeniyi said that he could not “remember seeing it.”
Mr. Obla objected to that line of questioning, insisting that the defence must tender the cash register as an exhibit before it court be used for cross examination.
The judge, however, said that the defence was at liberty to use any document that had been brought before the court.
“You cannot file a document and your witness said he cannot remember seeing it. If it was filed by the defence, it is a different ball game altogether,” the judge told Mr. Obla.
“Once you have provided this document, it is for them (the defence) to use it at their own time during the trial, not at your own time,” the judge added.
The trial was adjourned till April 28 for continuation of trial...culled
Now I believe that power corrupts, and that absolute power corrupts absolutely!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhich power corrupts...some evil men just sit and do whatever they want, I call them evil cus its only an evil man that would spend such amount of money without thinking of people who cannot afford one meal a day, no charity, just flying abroad like its going out of fashion
DeleteHaba I'm just angry you find average people helping the poor and yet those in the position to do so keep spending like they can take the money with them when they die
Its also painful that in the end of all this nothing might be done in the end
There is money in this country! But a particular set is squandering it , leaving the masses broke,
ReplyDeleteJust looking at his face you will see that he is irresponsible, a big fool, arrogant, useless and a big thief.
ReplyDeleteNa wa 4 ds country!! C hw den dey cal money as if na Number den dey count chai!! D pple dat poured pepper inside person wey steal #50 pepper and beat no c ds kind pple deal wit,,,,,evrytin s jux wrong in ds God Own Nation but Y??????
ReplyDeleteSholamatty
Too many millions here n there and the masses are impoverished.
ReplyDeleteOk
Mamie, Welcome back. I really missed u. How are u and d baby? Pls send us d pics.
DeleteWetin U wan take the Pix too@Phrinkies???#Cuss her Baby out shey?
DeleteWetin U wan take the Pix do@Phrinkies???#Cuss her Baby out shey?
DeleteSay NO to ACN/APC. devil in saint clothing. all of you will be exposed very soon. absolute DEVILS
ReplyDeleteHe is an intelligent MUGU, he is a free man enjoying his loot always in and out of London flying virgin upper class with his loot and LV bags and shoes like a trader. Most of our looters are not intelligent that's the truth when you see the way they talk or interact you will pity their stolen money. Poor men with minor crimes are in jail but people who with stolen billions walk free.
ReplyDeleteI need a like button right here!!! Most of them look unbelievably stupid!
DeleteNigerian is one of the richest country on planete earth.just one government officials loot can fix electricity forever,then do Maths how many government officials do we have.i weep for Nigeria my country
ReplyDeleteWhich way Naija,well na who dem catch be thief,we have worse crimainals in d higher places who steals billions,my happiness is dat dey mek dis money αη∂ bcos its nt prosperity 4rm God d so cald children dey åЯ̩̥̊Ɛ̷̃̊ acquiring it 4 squanders it d moment dey die,our politicians keep been on d black list αη∂ continue giving Naija bad nem,mtcheeew
ReplyDelete