Mansur Aramide, Ilorin
A Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted two former aides to former Senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki, over alleged N3.5 billion money laundering offence.
Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola and Kolawole Shittu, have been standing trial for over eight years over the offence
Makanjuol expressed relief and gratitude to God after he was discharged and acquitted on Thursday following court ruling.
He said: “To God be the glory, I have been vindicated. It’s been a tough journey for me for almost eight years, but at the end of the day, I just want to thank God for seeing me through”.
He applaufed the court’s decision, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling that deemed the funds in question to be a source of legitimate and valid commercial transaction.
“The court confirmed that with the Supreme Court judgement, the criminal charges cannot proceed again, and that’s the end of it”, he noted.
Makanjuola and Shittu were represented by two Senior Advocates, Paul Erokoro and Ojukwu. They led other lawyers while the third defendant was represented by Mr. Wale Adewumi and his colleagues.
It would be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), arraigned Makanjuola and three others before the Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos in 2018 on charges bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and payment of funds without going through financial institutions.
During their arraignment, the EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Iheanacho, alleged that the three defendants, including Melrose General Services Limited and Robert Chidozie Mbonu (now at large), conspired to disguise the origin of N3.5 billion paid into Melrose General Services Limited’s Access Bank account in December 2016.
Iheanacho also alleged that Melrose General Services, Obiora Amobi, the operation manager, made a cash payment of N300 million to Robert Mbonu from the N3.5 billion without going through a financial institution.
Again, it was alleged that Makanjuola, Saraki’s Deputy Chief of Staff, and Kolawole Shittu, a Cashier in the Senate President’s office, made cash payments of $500,000 without involving any financial institution in December 2016.
The EFCC argued that the offences violated the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 punishable under the same act.
All defendants pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N250 million each with two sureties.
The defendants had challenged the jurisdiction of the court in year 2020 to entertain the criminal charges, same being an invalid charge which violates the principles of law. The court, having heard the arguments of both parties, struck out the case based on an invalid and improper charges.
However, in January, 2021, another EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, re-filed the criminal charges against the four defendants at Federal High Court, Abuja. In May 2024. They were rearraigned before Hon. Justice P.O. Lifu after the third amended charges on conspiracy, accepting cash payments beyond the threshold, and stealing.
The defendants, again, pleaded not guilty, and their counsels made applications for bail, which were granted.
