Home News Plea Bargain For Jumoke Akinjide, Gets Bail Alongside Otiti, Adeseun

Plea Bargain For Jumoke Akinjide, Gets Bail Alongside Otiti, Adeseun

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Olajumoke Akinjide
Ex-Minister, Olajumoke Akinjide...granted bail...

Jumoke Akinjide, a  former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who is standing trial for allegedly collecting N650m during the 2015 general election, was on Thursday granted bail by a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan on self-recognizance and for cooperating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission during investigation.

The court also granted bail to two other chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olanrewaju Otiti and Senator Ayo Adeseun, who are standing trial with Akinjide.

Otiti and Adeseun were granted bail in the sum of N100m each with sureties in like sum. The court said the surety must be a civil servant or public servant in a level of director.

The court, which was presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, said Adeseun must submit his passport to it pending the determination of the case.

While the EFCC counsel, Mr. Idris Mohammed, prayed the court not to grant Adeseun bail based on self-recognizance, he, however, did not oppose to the bail granted and conditions attached to it.

According to him, Adeseun, who pleaded not guilty to the 17 counts against him, had failed to present himself to the commission at a time when he was needed in the past.

He also said the commission detained him after securing approval from a magistrate court to detain him during investigation.

The EFCC accused the former chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation and Budget Planning of collecting N134,405,000 from the N650m, out of which he was alleged to have distributed various sums to some people.

One of the EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that Akinjide had an agreement with the commission to enter into plea bargain.

The prosecutor alleged that the former minister directly took possession of N650m, saying she ought to have known that the sum formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering Act , 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

Akinjide was alleged to have given part of the money to Otiti (N107,415,000); Adeseun (N134,405,000); Ayoka Lawani (N26,520,000); Muraina Ajibola (N26,670,000); and Yinka Taiwo, N16m.

The presiding judge adjourned the case till September 12, 2017.

Credit: punchng.com

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