The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, finally appeared before the Federal High Court on Thursday on a 20-count charge of money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ikuforiji, serving his second term as head of the state’s legislative arm of government, is alleged to have used his position to launder an estimated N501 million belonging to the House.
He was arraigned with his Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi.
The anti-graft agency, in its charge sheet, accused the lawmaker and his aide of “conspiring among themselves between April 2010 and July 2011 to do an illegal act by accepting various cash payments from the State Assembly without going through a financial institution.”
Both men pleaded not guilty to all charges. Defence counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, asked the court for bail on self-recognition, adding that the speaker is the “third citizen in Lagos State” and the other being “an aide to the Speaker.”
The EFCC did not oppose the bail applications but however urged the court to impose conditions on the bail to be granted to Oyetibo.
Presiding Judge, Okechukwu Okeke, granted the speaker bail on self-recognition and adjourned to March 26.
Ikuforiji was initially scheduled to be arraigned on January, 30, 2011, after weeks of failing to appear in court despite an arrest warrant. The order was, however, discharged by the then presiding Judge, John Soho, on December 15, 2011, when the speaker voluntarily came to court.
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