The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday August 18, charged a Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Mr. Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, a lawyer, Amajuoyi Azubike Briggs, and three others over alleged fraud of $31. 465, 400m.
Others charged before the court presided over by Justice AbdulAziz Anka of a Lagos Federal High Court is one Demola Bolodeoku, and five limited liability companies, namely; Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited, Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited and Globus Integrated Services Limited.
EFCC in a 17-count charge marked FHC/337C/16, alleged that all accused persons had between November 13, 2013, and May 28, 2015, conspired among themselves to conceal the total sum of $31. 434, 400 million, which they know to form part of the proceed of an unlawful act, through Skye bank Plc.
The accused persons were alleged to have committed the fraud with one Sombre Omeibi, now at large, through accounts number 2110002269, 2110002238, 2110002245, 210002252, 2110002207, 2110002269 and 0122493290, domiciled in Skye.
The Offences according to the prosecution are contrary to section 18(a) and 15(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable Under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
However, the arraignment of the accused persons was stalled due to the absence of former President’s aide, Dudafa, and representatives of companies named in the alleged fraud.
Upon the calling of the case, the EFCC’s prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, sought for the adjournment to enable the Commission serve the charge on the other accused persons.
In seeking for the adjournment, Oyedepo informed the court that the Commission needs a court order for proper service of the charge on Dudafa, whom he said rejected service at Prison’s custody.
He also seeking a court pronouncement to enable the Commission to server the the second accused person, Mr. Briggs, a lawyer, whom he said was the Secretary to the companies, and whi refereed all the alleged fraudulent transactions made by the companies named in the fraud.
In seeking for adjournment, Oyedepo said: “the first defendant is a private individual, and under Section 123 of ACJA, we are to serve him personally. We went to prison on August 12, 2016, to serve him the charge but he declined service.
“We have charged in a related case before Justice Idris, though he was granted bail but an issue crop up.
“I also need court order on the service of the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth defendants, the companies were opportune to know who and who is there directors.
” in the course of Investigation, we came to know that the Chambers of second defendant Incorporated those companies, and in his wisdom, he inserted addresses that are not available.
“I urged the court to allow us to serve the charge of the companies on the second accused person, being the brain behind them.”
Oyedepo also informed the court that the second accused person’s statement dated July 7, 2016, confirmed that his firm registered those companies, and that the companies appointed him as their Secretary..
However, lawyer to the second defendant, T. J. Onyeieke, while urging the discountenance the submission of the prosecution on the ground that his client, Briggs, is not a a director in any of the companies mentioned in the charge.
He further informed the court that if the prosecution wanted to serve the companies’ charge on the second defendant, such should be done through a proper application not by oral application.
He therefore urged the court to refuse the prosecution’s application.
However, Justice Anka, while granting the prosecution’s application on service of the charge on Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Dudafa in Prison’s custody, adjourned the ruling on the service of the charge on the companies named in the fraud, on second accused person, Mr. Briggs, till September 8.
