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General News of Friday, 26 March 2021

Source: thenationonlineng.net

$1.3m cash found in panel member’s house tendered in court

They were accused of receiving the $1.3m cash from a firm They were accused of receiving the $1.3m cash from a firm

About $1.3million cash and other currencies recovered from a member of the Presidential Committee on the Procurement of Arms and Equipment in the Armed Forces, Air Commodore Umar Mohammed (rtd), were on Thursday tendered before a Federal High Court in Abuja by the Federal Government.

Umar and his firm, Easy Jet Integrated Services Limited, are being tried on a three-count of alleged money laundering, illegal possession of firearms and classified documents without authority.

They were accused of receiving the $1.3m cash from a firm, Worldwide Consortium PTY Ltd, in 2016, through Easy Jet, an act said to constitute a violation of the Money Laundering Act 2011.

At the resumption of proceedings, lead prosecution lawyer, Labaran Magaji, tendered the cash through a witness, Stephen Olatubosun.

Magaji from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation,  also tendered other currencies, stating that they were all recovered from the defendants.

When Magaji was done with the witness, the lead defence witness, Hassan Liman (SAN) cross-examined Olatubosun.

Liman later told the court that his clients intended to make a no-case submission.

He said the prosecution had not been able to establish a prima facie case against his clients to warrant their being required to enter a defence.

Trial Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered that the cash be deposited in an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by the court’s Chief Registrar pending the conclusion of a trial.

Ewko then adjourned till May 27 for the adoption of the parties’ written submissions in relation to the defendants’ no-case submission.