The money laundering case brought against Pastor Osagie Ize -Iyamu, PDP governorship candidate in Edo State in 2016 election and four others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was today October 15, 2020 adjourned till January 14, 2021 by a Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State.
This was contained in a statement on Thursday by the EFCC.
The other four defendants are Lucky Imasuen, former deputy governor of Edo State; Chief Dan Orbih, former PDP chairman in Edo State; Tony Aziegbemi and Efe Erimuoghae.
At today’s sitting, counsel to the first defendant, Charles Edosomwan, SAN, informed the court that he has filed a motion challenging its jurisdiction on the grounds that the charge filed against the defendants are based on election matters.
According to him, the appropriate court to try electoral matter was the Magistrate Court or High Court of the state. The same argument was canvassed by the counsel to the other defendants.
However, the prosecuting counsel, Francis A.Jirbo countered the argument with the submission that the information before the court is a money laundering charge for which the Federal High Court has exclusive jurisdiction..
After listening to both counsel, Justice M. G. Umar adjourned the case to January 20, 2021 for ruling.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu and other defendants were first arraigned before Justice P. I. Ajoku on an eight count charge bordering on money laundering on May 24, 2018.
The defendants were alleged to have sometime in March 2015 in Benin City directly taken possession of the sum of seven hundred million ( N700, 000,000) without any contract award which sum was allegedly part of proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: fraud and corruption.
Also, the Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Police Force declared support for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) in its bid to rid the country of corruption.
The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Kayode Egbetokun, gave the assurance on Thursday, October 15, 2020 while receiving the Zonal Head of Ilorin Office of the EFCC, Deputy Chief Detective Superintendent, DCDS, Kazeem Oseni who was at the Command’s Headquarters on a Courtesy visit.
According to Egbetokun, the major problem bedeviling the country is corruption and must be tackled on all fronts in order to move the nation forward.
He said the EFCC has enormous task in dealing with the menace and needs the support of every stakeholder to deliver on its mandate.
“The Police and the EFCC have no option than to work together for the good of this country. The cordial relationship between us must continue. There’s need for synergy in order to bail the country out of the shackles of corruption”, the CP said.
The Kwara Police boss also used the occasion to call on officers of the Commission to continue to uphold the virtues of discipline and professionalism that the EFCC is known for saying, his office was ever ready to support its operations.
Earlier, DCDS Oseni, while stating the purpose of the visit solicited the support of the command to effectively deal with issues of economic and financial crimes in the state.
He acknowledged the good relationship that had existed between the two agencies and called for more robust synergy for greater achievements from both ends.
