Ikuforiji free of N600m money laundering case

Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the speaker of the Lagos state house of assembly, has been cleared of the money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Ibrahim Buba delivered the judgement at the federal high court, Lagos, on Friday.

Supporters of Ikuforiji who were anxious while the judge was reviewing submission from counsels, erupted into joy when the pronouncement was made.

In the case ‘Fhc/LA/40/2012 – Frn v Ikuforiji & Mr. Oyebode Atoyebi’ the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as complainant) preferred a 20-count charge against Ikuforiji, the speaker, and Mr. Oyebode Atoyebi, his personal assistant, for laundering over N600 million contrary to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act (Establishment) Act, 2004.

The EFCC accused both of them of receiving the money from the state assembly without passing through a financial institution as required by the EFCC Act.

The prosecution opened its case whilst the defendants’ legal team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) presented a ‘No Case Submission’.

The ‘No Case Submission’ application implies that based on the evidence adduced and presented by the prosecution to the court, no criminal liability has been established against the defendants.

In his comprehensive ruling, Justice Buba considered and granted the defendants’ ‘No Case Submission’ and accordingly acquitted and discharged the defendants.

Summarily, the court was firmly of the view that all the monies received by the defendants went through the standard procedures and that the monies were received for the use of the house of assembly.

Ikuforiji is interested in contesting next year’s Lagos governorship election.

First elected speaker of the Lagos assembly December 29, 2005, he retained his Ikeja State Constituency 1 seat in the state legislature on the ticket of the then Action Congress (AC). now Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

He is the first state legislator to serve as speaker for two consecutive terms.