N270m Abuja Property: You have a case to answer; Court tells Ohakim
Fri Jul 01, 2016 07:25:am National
1.7K By Buchi Obichie
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ruled on Thursday, that the former Governor of Imo State has to answer to criminal charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Ohakim, who piloted the affairs of Imo state between May 2007 and May 2011, failed to persuade the presiding Judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi, to quash the EFCC's three-count criminal charge against him.
The charges border on money laundering, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.
Delivering judgment, Justice Adeniyi held that a prima-facie criminal case was successfully established by the EFCC against the defendant, that would warrant him to enter his defence before the court.
Consequently, the court dismissed Ohakim's no-case-submission, and ordered the former Governor to open his defence on October 10.
The charge against Ohakim arose from his alleged purchase of the property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Plot No 1098, Cadastral ZoneA04, Asokoro District, Abuja with cash payment of $2.29m which was said to be dollar equivalent of N270m in November 2008.
According to the anti-graft agency, the property was acquired by Ohakim, with funds allegedly laundered from the Imo State treasury.
Ohakim was said to have paid for the property in cash.
He was also accused of failing to declare the property as part of his assets when asked by the EFCC to do so.
The prosecution said the erstwhile governor violated section 15(1)(d) and section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.
Ohakim, who piloted the affairs of Imo state between May 2007 and May 2011, failed to persuade the presiding Judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi, to quash the EFCC's three-count criminal charge against him.
The charges border on money laundering, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.
Delivering judgment, Justice Adeniyi held that a prima-facie criminal case was successfully established by the EFCC against the defendant, that would warrant him to enter his defence before the court.
Consequently, the court dismissed Ohakim's no-case-submission, and ordered the former Governor to open his defence on October 10.
The charge against Ohakim arose from his alleged purchase of the property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Plot No 1098, Cadastral ZoneA04, Asokoro District, Abuja with cash payment of $2.29m which was said to be dollar equivalent of N270m in November 2008.
According to the anti-graft agency, the property was acquired by Ohakim, with funds allegedly laundered from the Imo State treasury.
Ohakim was said to have paid for the property in cash.
He was also accused of failing to declare the property as part of his assets when asked by the EFCC to do so.
The prosecution said the erstwhile governor violated section 15(1)(d) and section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.
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