BEVERLY HILLS, February 06, (THEWILL) – Paul Usoro, the President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), would be re-arraigned on Feb. 14 before Justice Chuks Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The trial of Usoro is to commence afresh on alleged money laundering to the tune of N1.4 billion following the failure of the case to continue at the court on Tuesday.
The Chief Judge of the Court, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati, re-assigned the case from the courtroom of Justice Muslim Hassan after he granted the request of the NBA President for a change of judge.
On December 18, 2018, a former NBA President and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Olanipekun, who led Usoro’s defence team had drawn the court’s attention to a letter written by his client to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
He sought the transfer of the case to another judge in Lagos or to any judicial division between Uyo and Abuja.
After the proceedings of that day, the court adjourned till February 5 for the continuation of the trial.
Usoro is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 10 counts bordering on fraud.
He was alleged to have conspired with some others to convert the sum of N1.4 billion, property of Akwa Ibom State Government, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity in May 2016.
Also named in the charge is the incumbent governor of Akwa Ibom, Emmanuel Udom, who is described in the charge as being “currently constitutionally immune from prosecution”.
Others charged are the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Nkan; Accountant-General of Akwa Ibom State, Mfon Udomah; the Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko, and Margaret Ukpe.
Usoro had, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Justice Hassan subsequently admitted him to bail in the sum of N250 million with one surety in like sum.
