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EFCC Re-arraigns Usoro As Court Orders Arrest Of Two Akwa Ibom Commissioners, Others

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday re-arraigned the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro.


Court Adjourns Alleged N1.4bn Laundering Case Against Usoro, Others
NBA President, Mr Paul Usoro, addressing a press conference in Abuja in December 2018.
Alleged N1.4bn Money Laundering: Second Judge Disqualifies Self NBA President's Trial
NBA President, Mr Paul Usoro, addressing a press conference in Abuja in December 2018.

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday re-arraigned the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro.

He was re-arraigned before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on 10 counts of conspiracy and conversion of an alleged N1.4bn to which he, again, pleaded not guilty.

Justice Aikawa is the third judge to be assigned the case.

The first judge, Justice Muslim Hassan was re-assigned from the case after the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati granted the request of the NBA President for a change of judge.

The second judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor disqualified himself from the case after citing “personal reasons”.

The case was, thereafter, re-assigned to Justice Aikawa.

In December 2018, the court admitted him to bail in the sum of N250 million with one surety in like sum after he pleaded not guilty.

At today’s hearing, Justice Aikawa allowed the NBA President to continue on the bail he was earlier granted by the first trial judge but the EFCC drew the attention of the court to the fact that Mr Usoro was yet to meet the conditions.

The judge had ordered that the surety must be either be a landed property owner within court’s jurisdiction or a civil servant whose position must not be lower than a director in the employment of the Federal or state government.

The defendant was also ordered to deposit his international passport with the court.

Justice Aikawa, thereafter, directed Mr Usoro to meet the bail conditions before March 15.

Meanwhile, the court also granted a bench warrant for the arrest of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Akwa Ibom State, Uwemedimo Nwoko, the Commissioner of Finance, Nsikan Nkan, the Accountant General, Mfon Udomah and a Cashier of the State Govt, Margaret Ukpe.

Justice Aikawa granted the bench warrant at the instance of the EFCC, who told the court that the defendants are at large and the warrant was necessary to ensure their presence in court at the next adjourned date of March 18 and 19.

The four government officials are charged alongside Mr Usoro on 10 counts of conspiracy and conversion of an alleged N1.4bn said to be property of the State Government.