Money laundering: Court dismisses Ohakim’s no-case submission

     

A former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, on Thursday, failed to convince the Federal High Court in Abuja to trash the three-count criminal charge which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, slammed on him.
The court, in a ruling by Justice Ademola Adeniyi, held that the former governor who ruled Imo State between May 2007 and May 2011, has a case to answer pertaining to the charges against him.

The charges border on money laundering, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.

Justice Adeniyi held that the anti-graft agency successfully established a prima-facie criminal case against the defendant that would warrant him to enter his defence before the court.
Consequently, Ohakim’s no-case-submission was dismissed by the court which 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.
The prosecution said the former governor violated section 15(1)(d) and section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004. Ohakim was said to have paid for the property in cash.