The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has re-arraigned former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, and former Finance Minister, Nenadi Usman, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
The two former ministers were arraigned before Justice Rilwan Aikawa alongside one Danjuma Yusuf and a company, Joint Trust Dimension Nig. Ltd, on 17 counts of money laundering and alleged diversion of N4.9bn.
They all pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to them.
The court then reaffirmed the bail earlier granted to them by former trial judge, Justice Muslim Hassan.
The defendants also brought up the issues of pending applications challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.
The defendants want the matter transferred to Abuja where the offences were allegedly committed.
The EFCC submitted that this application had been decided by the previous judge but the defence submitted that the applications challenging the court’s jurisdiction were still alive.
Justice Aikawa adjourned the case to June 7 for ruling on whether the issue of venue of the trial is still alive.
