A Federal High Court in Lagos Monday discharged and acquitted a former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt (Hon). Adeyemi Ikuforiji, of alleged N338.8 million money laundering.
Ikuforiji was discharged alongside his former Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi.
It would be recalled that the EFCC had arraigned Ikuforiji alongside his former Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi on a 54-count charge bordering on the offence.
Both of them had pleaded not guilty before Justice Mohammed Liman and were allowed to continue on an earlier bail granted to them in 2012 when they were first arraigned.
On March 17, 2021, the EFCC closed its case after calling the second witness for the prosecution, Mr Adewale Olatunji, a former Clerk of the Lagos House of Assembly. The prosecution called only two witnesses in support of its case.
The case was then adjourned for the defence to open its case and begin its defence.
However, Justice Liman was later transferred out of the Lagos Division and is now presiding over the case by fiat.
According to the charge, EFCC alleged that the defendants accepted cash payments above the threshold set by the Money Laundering Act, without going through a financial institution.
The Commission accused the defendants of conspiring to commit an illegal act of accepting cash payments in the aggregate sum of N338.8 million from the House of Assembly without going through a financial institution.
Ikuforiji was also accused of using his position to misappropriate funds belonging to the Assembly.
The EFCC contended that the defendants committed the offences between April 2010 and July 2011.
According to the EFCC, the offences contravene the provisions of Sections 15 (1d), 16(1d) and 18 of Money Laundering Act, 2004 and 2011.
Ikuforiji was elected Speaker of the Lagos Assembly for 10years.
He represented Epe Constituency 1 and Ikeja Constituency 2 at different period as Lagos lawmaker.
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