The Economic and Financial crimes Commission, EFCC on Monday arraigned 12 accused persons before Justice Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja on a 22 count charge bordering on money laundering of over N2 billion.
Those arraigned are seven individuals and five corporate bodies.
They are Chidi David Adabanya, Uzoma Ibe, Andrew Feyaikeban Ebakpa, Kwokwo Ebiki Bina, Beneth Ezekiel-Hart, Bolouwenimo Kwokwo, and Presley Ebakpa. Others are Forstech Technical Nig Limited, Gastroil Ventures Limited, Bilyiis Integrated Services Limited, Fun-Ala Nigeria Limited and Fambo integrated Services Limited.
Between April 2010 and July 2010 in Abuja, Adabanya and Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited were alleged to have transferred N927,191,277.98.
The amount is alleged to have been derived from an illegal act from the account of Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited in Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc to the account of Gastroil Ventures Limited with Stanbic IBTC stockbrokers Limited.
The seven persons pleaded not guilty to the 22 count charges read to them.
The judge granted bail to the accused persons in liberal terms.
Each was granted bail for N5 million and one surety in like sum.
The judge further said that if the surety is not a civil servant, he must have a landed property, which should be verified by the court.
The judge, while adjourning the case to October 2, 3 and 4, 2012 further ruled that the international passports of the duo of Adabanya and Ibe, which are already in EFCC custody, are also to be handed over to the court.
Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, drew the attention of the court to Section 19 of the EFCC Act, which provides for expedient determination of corruption cases before the court.
But Olotu said the long adjournment was as a result of the court vacation in July.
Count one of the 22 count charge reads:
“That you Chidi David Adabanya, Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited, Gastroil Ventures Limited, Uzoma Ibe, Andrew Feyaikeban Ebakpa, Kwokwo Ebiki Bina, Beneth Ezekiel-Hart, Bolouwenimo Kwokwo, Presley Ebakpa, Bilyiis Integrated Services Limited and Fambo Integtrated Services Limited between February 2009 and September 2010 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court conspired among yourselves to do an illegal act to wit: money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 17(a) of the money laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004 and punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act.”
Adabanya, Forstech Technical Nigeria Limited and Gastroil Ventures Limited were alleged to have sometime in March 2011 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court converted N188,460,000 being property derived from an illegal act with the aim of disguising its illicit origin by using same to purchase a parcel of land in Abuja and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.