Former minister, two others arraigned over alleged money laundering

Former water resources minister, Sarah Ochekpe, and two others on Monday appeared before a Jos Federal High Court over alleged money laundering involving N450 million.
Ochekpe, who was arraigned by the EFCC, appeared along with Mr Raymond Dabo, former PDP Chairman in Plateau, and Evangelist Leo-Sunday Jatau, Coordinator of the President Goodluck Jonathan campaign in 2015.
The trio appeared to answer a two-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering.
When the charges were read to the accused standing trial before Justice Musa Kurya, they pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecuting counsel, A. Y. Manchata, told the court that sometimes in 2015, the sum of N450 million was transferred from the account of then former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Alison Diezeni-Madueke, to the account of one of the defendants, who allegedly withdrew and laundered it. But the defence Counsel, Sunday Odey, who challenged the allegations of the EFCC, applied for the bail of the three accused persons, who he described as “people of high integrity’’.
Odey said: “My Lord, since my clients have pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge, I hereby apply for their bail on self recognition.
Responding, the EFCC Counsel objected to the bail application, insisting that the accused should be remanded in Prison considering the weight of the offence.
Odey, however, countered Manchata’s position, and stated that he would stand as surety and produce the trio at the next adjourned date of the case.
After listening to the arguments of the two lawyers, Kurya granted them bail on self-recognition and adjourned the case to February 13 and 14 for hearing.