Alleged Money Laundering: Court Adjourns Usoro’s Trial To April 17

Peter Fowoyo

Hearing of three pending applications in the trial of the president of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA), Paul Usoro SAN, has been fixed by a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Justice Rilwan Aikawa, on Monday fixed April 17, 2019 to hear all pending applications before the court.

The applications include a Motion On Notice brought by Usoro pursuant to Section 36(6)(B)(D) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 379(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), seeking for an order of the court, directing the complainant to serve on him a summarised witness statement of evidence of those listed to give evidence in the matter.

The other application was brought by the Attorney General, AG, of Akwa Ibom State, Uwemedimo Nwoko, and three others.

Their application filed by Mike Ozekhome (SAN) on their behalf prays the court to set aside the bench warrant issued against them.

The third application was brought by counsel to the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Charles Mekwunye, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to proceed with the entertainment of the charge.

It would be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had slammed a N1.4bn money laundering charge against the NBA President and others before Justice Muslim Hassan who layers recused himself from the matter for being a former prosecutor with the anti-graft agency.

Then the defendant (Usoro) was re-arraigned before Justice Aikawa on March 1, 2019.

He pleaded not guilty and had consistently maintained that the funds received from the state government were his professional fees.