The Finance Director of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Joshua Kadmi Luka and an ex-Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Oseni Yekinni Adeniyi, have been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of money laundering.
Luka, who is said to still be in service and Adeniyi, said to have retired, were arraigned on a five-count amended charge before Justice Mohammed Umar on Tuesday.
In the charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), the two defendants are accused of engaging in money laundering estimated at over N100m.
At the mention of the case on Tuesday, prosecuting lawyer, Michael Adesola, told the court that the case was slated for arraignment on an amended charge.
Adesola prayed the court to allow the taking of the defendants’ plea, a request that defence lawyers – Johnson Usman (SAN) for Luka and Emmanuel Otinya did not oppose.
The defendants pleaded not guilty when the five counts were read to them. Adeola prayed the court to remand them in prison custody and sought a date for the commencement of trial.
Usman and Otinya drew the court’s attention to the bail applications their clients filed and sought to be allowed to move them.
With the permission of the judge, Usman and Otinya took turns to move the bail applications, which were not opposed by Adesola, who only prayed the court to grant bail on terms that would ensure that the defendants make themselves available for trial.
Ruling, Justice Umar noted that both defendants are senior citizens and that they were earlier granted administrative bail by the prosecuting agency, which they did not abuse.
The judge proceeded to grant them bail on self-recognition and adjourned till November 24 for the commencement of trial.
Some counts in the charge read:
*That You Joshua Kadmi Luka(m) and Oseni Yekinni Adeniyi (m) on or about the month of August and September 2019 at Abuja, while being the Deputy Director and Assistant Director respectively, at Federal Ministry of Agriculture Abuja, committed offence of money laundering to wit: by removing from the account of Federal Ministry of Agriculture the sum of N80,812,400.00(eighty million eight hundred and twelve thousand naira) which was meant for audit of fixed assets and inventories and audit verification of donor funded projects in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture which you failed to do and transferred the said sum to one Specific Farms Limited (a bureau de change)f or US dollars equivalent knowing that the said sum is a proceed of unlawful act namely of false statement and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to 20(a) and punishable under section 20(b) of the Money Laundering(Prohibition) Act 2022(as amended).
*That You Joshua Kadmi Luka(m) and Oseni Yekinni Adeniyi (m)on or about the month of April 2019 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court while being the Deputy Director and Assistant Director respectively at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Abuja conspired to commit the offence of money laundering to wit: made a false claim that the sum of N11,841,000 (eleven million eight hundred and forty one thousand nnaira) is required for audit of fixed assets and inventories and audit verification of donor funded projects in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture the claim which you knew to be false and converted the sum for personal use knowing that the said sum is a proceed of unlawful act namely of false statement and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 21(a) and punishable under section 20(b) of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022
*That You Joshua Kadmi Luka(m) and Oseni Yekinni Adeniyi (mj)on or about the month of April 2019 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court while being the Deputy Director and Assistant Director respectively at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Abuja committed the offence of money laundering to wit: made a false claim that the sum of N11,841,000 (eleven million eight hundred and forty one thousand naira) is required for audit of fixed assets and inventories and audit verification of donor funded projects in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture the claim which you knew to be false and converted the sum for personal use knowing that the said sum is a proceed of unlawful act namely of false statement and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 20(a) and punishable under section Z0(b) ot money La ungering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.