BEVERLY HILLS, CA, December 09, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Monday re-arraigned the quartet of Mahmud Tukur, Alex Ochonogor, Abdullahi Alao and Eternal Plc on a nine- count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and uttering contrary to section 468 of the Criminal Code. They were re-arraigned before Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja.
The EFCC, in a statement, revealed that the accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them by the commission.
In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs SAN, quickly called the attention of the court to the preliminary injunction filed by three of the accused persons -Mahmud Tukur, Ochonogor Alex and Eterna Plc- challenging the validity of the charges against them.
But before adjourning to February 24, 2014 for argument on the bail applications, Justice Akapo urged the counsel to liaise with the court registrar to identify the processes previously filed and the arguments canvassed by both parties to enable the judge acquaint himself with the case and prepare for the next hearing, the statement added.
The accused persons, who allegedly obtained the sum of N1.8billion from the Federal Government through the Petroleum Support Fund, were first arraigned on July 26, 2012 and granted bail by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, who was the first trial judge. Justice Akapo took over the case owing to the transfer of Onigbanjo to another division of the court.
