Akin Kuponiyi
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been remanded in jail for laundering N500 million without going through banking requirements.
The chairman of Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo state Clement Faboyede and the Director General of PDP campaign organization in Ondo state during the last general election were today arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos south west Nigeria on three count charge of laundering N500 million.
According to the three count criminal charge number FHC/L/201C/2018 filed before the court by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Deputy Chief Detective Superintendent E Iheanacho it was alleged that clement Faboyede and others at large on or about the 27th day of March 2015 conspired amongst themselves to accept cash payment in the sum of N500 million from one Owolanke Micheal which exceeded N5 million without going through a financial institution contrary to section 1, of the money laundering (prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended by Act 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16(2) of the same Act.
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However in count three of the charge Clement Faboyede while acting as the state chairman of the People’s Democratic Party on 27th day of March, 2015 was alleged to have made cash payment of the sum of N500 milion to the Ondo State Election Committee of the People’s Democratic Party which exceeded N5million without going through a financial institution contrary to section 1 of the money laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011(as amended by Act 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16(2)of the same Act.
The two defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge, consequently, the prosecuting counsel Mr Iheanacho said in view of the plea of not guilty of the defendants, urged the court to remand them in prison custody and fix a date for trial to commence.
However, the defence counsel Mr Eyitayo Jegede SAN argued that the court admit them to bail.
The presiding judge Justice Saliu Saidu asked him to file a formal application for bail, though Mr Jegede told the court that formal application for bail has been filed but not yet in the court’s file.
Justice Saidu while adjourning the case ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody adjourned till 17 September 2018 for trial.
