The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today November 17, re-arraigned Chidi David
Adabanya and 11 others before Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court
Abuja on a 22-count charge bordering on money laundering.
Adabanya a former employee of Shell Petroleum
Development Company, SPDC, along with some officials of the Bayelsa State
Government allegedly obtained the sum of N1.9billion through a phony
consultancy contract in the SPDC Gbaran- Ubie project in Bayelsa State. The
other accused persons are Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited, Gastroil Ventures
Limited, Uzoma Ibe, Andrew Feyaikebena Ebakpa, Kwokwo Ebiki Bina, Benneth
Ezekiel-Hart, Bolouwenimo Kwokwo, Presley Ebakpa, Bikyiis Integrated Services
Limited, Fun-Ala Nigeria Limited and Fambo Integrated Services Limited.
The accused persons
pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.
Count one of the charge reads: “that
you Chidi David Adabanya, Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited,
Gastoil Ventures Limited, Uzoma Ibe, Andrew Feyaikebena Ebakpa, Kwokwo
Ebiki
Bina, Benneth Ezekiel Hart, Bolouwenimo Kwokwo, Presley Ebakpa, Bikyiis
Integrated Services Limited and Fambo Integrated Services Limited
between February 2009 and September 2010 in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State
within the
jurisdiction of the Federal High Court conspired among yourselves to do
an illegal
act to wit: money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary
to
section 17(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and
punishable
under section 14(1) of the same Act.”
Another count reads:
“that you Chidi David Adabanya and Forstech
Technical Nigeria Limited between April 2010 and July 2010 in Abuja
within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court transferred the total sum of
N927,191,277,98 (nine hundred and twenty seven million, one hundred and ninety
one thousand, two hundred and seventy seven naira, ninety eight kobo) being
property derived from an illegal act from the account of Forstech Technical
Nigeria Limited with Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc to the account of Gastroil Ventures
Limited Stockbroking Account with the Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited with
the aim of concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence
punishable under section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of
2004.”
In view of the plea of the accused persons,
the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN urged the court to ensure expeditious
hearing of the case: “I will not oppose the bail, I am more interested in the
substantive case. My only concern is that the first accused has brought undue
publicity to the matter; I appeal to you my Lord to urge the accused to limit
the case to the court. I do not mind all the petitions he has written against
me to the NJC, Legal Practices Disciplinary Council, that the law was not
complied with in appointing me, I will not allow that affect me, I am
interested in the hearing of the case”, he said.
Justice
Ademola asked the accused persons to continue on the bail terms
previously granted them by Justice Gladys Olotu. The accused were granted bail
in the sum of five million naira and one surety in like sum. The surety must
have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court which should be
verified by the court.
He
adjourned the case to 20th, 21st and 22nd
January 2015 for hearing. However, Justice Ademola warned counsel to the first
accused to advise his client to desist from making unguarded statement: “When
matters are in my court or another court, you allow the matter to be sorted out
in court, I don’t like unnecessary petitions and newspaper report or house
committee reports on the matter” he said.
The matter is starting afresh before Justice Adeniyi
sequel to the retirement of Justice Gladys Olotu. The accused persons were first
arraigned on June 18, 2012,
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
17th November, 2014
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