Akinjide, co-defendants disown statement to EFCC

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, yesterday disowned five extra-judicial statements, which she made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2016.

The ex-minister is being prosecuted for an alleged fraud of N650 million by the anti-graft agency before a Federal High Court, Lagos.

Her counsel, Mr. Olusegun Williams, resisted the move by the anti-graft agency to tender the statements in evidence.

Williams contended that the statements were obtained from Akinjide under duress and inducement.

He urged the court to order a trial-within-trial to test the voluntariness of the statements.

Akinjide’s co-defendants, Senator Ayo Adeseun and Olanrewaju Otiti, disowned their statements too.

Their counsels, Mr. Michael Lana and Akinola Oladeji respectively, equally argued that their clients’ statements were not voluntary.

Following the contention by the defence counsels, the judge ordered a trial-within-trial.