BEVERLY HILLS, February 22, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rejected the plea bargain offer of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, who was charged with an alleged fraud of N650m.
According to the anti-graft commission’s lawyer, Nnemeke Omenwa, the agency would proceed with her trial because the settlement terms proposed by the defendants did not comply with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act on plea bargain.
The case consequently proceeded to trial on as the EFCC called its first prosecution witness.
THEWILL recalls that at the last sitting of the court on February 6, the EFCC had admitted to the court that it had recovered the N650m allegedly laundered by Akinjide, Senator Ayo Adeseun and Mr Olanrewaju Otiti.
The Commission had, however, emphasised that the case before the court was not merely about the funds but was rather about the nature of the funds and the manner the defendants handled them.
The EFCC claimed that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities, adding that Akinjide and the others handled the N650m cash without going through any financial institution, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
