Ex-minister Adoke, re-arraigned, pleads not guilty

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN) and an Abuja- based businessman, Aliyu Abubakar, were yesterday re-arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged money laundering.

They both pleaded not guilty to the amended 14-count charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In the amended charge, Adoke was specifically accused of collecting N300 million from Abubakar as proceeds of unlawful activities in 2013, while in the same year, he was said to have collected another $2.2 million from one Rislanudeen Muhammed.

The former minister was also accused of disguising the N300 million he accepted from the second defendant.The Federal Government also alleged that Adoke illegally paid N50 million in 13 tranches and another N80 million in 22 tranches into his personal account with Unity Bank in contravention of the nation’s financial regulations.

In another charge, Adoke was said to have paid N367 million into his Unity Bank account with number 0020153263 also in contravention of financial regulations. He was further accused of disguising the sources of the amounts deposited in his Unity Bank, an act contrary to the financial law.

The second defendant, Abubakar, was alleged to have, in September 2013, received $2 million and another $4 million from one Abdulkareem Mustapha between September and October, the same year he was accused of collecting another $84.7 million.

In another charge, the second defendant was accused of receiving $3 million and concealing the source of the money.The government also accused the oil magnate of receiving $12 million being proceeds of alleged unlawful act.

Abubakar was accused of making N300 million cash payment to Adoke in contravention of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.The prosecutor informed the court that new evidence uncovered by the government necessitated the amended charge.

Consequent upon “not guilty” plea and adopting earlier bail granted the defendants, the presiding Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed August 11, 12 and 13 for trial.