EFCC to arraign Shasore, former Lagos AG, over alleged money laundering

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed money laundering charges against Supo Shasore, former attorney-general (AG) and commissioner for justice in Lagos state.

Shasore was Lagos attorney-general from 2007 to 2011.

Bala Sanga, a lawyer with the EFCC, signed the four-count charge filed before a federal high court in Lagos on August 18.

The former AG was alleged to have committed money laundering to the tune of $100,000 without going through a financial institution.

The case has been assigned to Chukwujekwu Aneke, a judge, before whom Shasore would be arraigned on October 20.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N. on or about the 18th day of November 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court induced Olufolakemi Adelore to commit an offence, to wit accepting cash payment of the sum of US100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) without going through a financial institution which such exceeded the amount authorised by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 78(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 16(6) of the same Act.”

Count two reads: “That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N on or about the 18th day of November 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, in a transaction without going through a financial institution, made cash payment of the sum of USD 100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) to Olufolakemi Adelore through Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin, which sum exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 1(a) and 16(1)(d) the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended) and punishable under section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”

Count three reads: “That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N., on or about the 18th November, 2014, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, induced one Ikechukwu Oguine, to commit an offence, to wit: accepting case payment of the sum of USD100,000.00 (One Hundred thousand United States Dollars) without going through a financial institution, which such amount exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) Of the same Act.”

“That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N on or about the 18th day of November 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without going through a financial institution and made cash payment of the sum of USD100,000.00 (One Hundred thousand United State Dollars) to one Ikechukwu Oguine which sum exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary sections 1(a) and 16(1),(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act, as amended) and punishable under section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act,” count four reads.

In January, Shasore was invited by the anti-graft commission to answer questions on his involvement in the Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) case.

The former Lagos attorney-general had represented Nigeria on the P&ID case.

The P&ID had won a $9.6 billion judgment against Nigeria in a British court. The company claimed it entered a contract to build a gas processing plant in Calabar, Cross River state, and that the deal collapsed because the Nigerian government did not fulfil its end of the bargain.

Shasore’s invitation by the EFCC came months after he had spoken of the part he played in representing Nigeria on the P&ID matter.

Prior to his speaking on his involvement in the case, the federal government had told a UK court that the former attorney-general colluded with P&ID to avert justice in the controversial gas supply purchasing agreement (GSPA) contract.