Money laundering: EFCC re-arraigns Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia

The Economic & Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has re-arraigned a Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia over allegations of unlawful enrichment, breach of trust and money laundering.

The judge was docked alongside a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Godwin Obla before Justice Mohammed Liman on an amended 15 count charge dated March 2. Before the plea of the judge was taken, counsel to the EFCC, Suleiman Suleiman, applied to the court to withdraw the name of Obla from the charge.

The court granted the request and Obla was accordingly acquitted and discharged. This paved the way for the re-arraignment of Ajumogobia as the sole defendant in the amended charge.

In the first count, the EFCC claimed that: “Ajumogobia on or about the 11th day of July 2014, in Lagos, indirectly concealed the total sum of N12m in the Diamond Bank account of Nigel & Colive Ltd., a sum she reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of an unlawful act … and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same act."

Ajumogobia pleaded not guilty to all 15 counts.