Okocha arraigned for alleged money laundering in Scotland

A former Super Eagles captain Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has been arraigned in private at an Aberdeen Sheriff Court, a Scottish daily Evening Express reported.

Okocha was arraigned on Friday by the Scottish police after an investigation which spanned two years.

Okocha was accused of alleged acquisition, use and possession of the criminal property, and another relating to allegedly concealing, disguising, converting and transferring criminal property.

He was charged with six others – five of whom were alleged to have “carried out fraud related to north-east businesses,” Evening Express said.

The former Bolton Wanderers captain made no plea during the hearing and was granted bail.

The court ordered that the case should be subjected to a further examination and also adjourned the case without a date yet.

Okocha is also facing a court case in Lagos where he is being sued for alleged tax evasion.

The Lagos High Court in Igbosere in April renewed an earlier bench warrant ordering his arrest.

Okocha has repeatedly failed to appear before the court to answer why he allegedly failed to pay his income taxes.

Adedayo Akintoye, the judge, issued the warrant for the arrest of the former Super Eagles captain on January 29 and, after that, adjourned until February 19.

However, on February 19, the prosecution had not carried out the arrest forcing the judge to, again, adjourned the matter till April 15. He ordered the warrant be executed by then.

Prosecution counsel Yusuf Sule told the judge that Okocha was yet to settle out of court, the 2017 income tax evasion charge.

The government alleged that Okocha failed to appear in court since October 5, 2017, when the case first came up.