Ex-FCT minister, others to be re-arraigned over N650m fraud

Olajumoke Akinjide

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on June 11 re-arraign a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jumoke Akinjide, and two others charged with N650 million fraud.

They will be arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Akinjide was first arraigned on January 16, 2018 before Justice Sule Hassan.

Two chieftains of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ayo Adeseun and Olarenwaju Otiti, were arraigned alongside.

They were slammed with 24-count charge bordering on fraud and money laundering which they denied and were granted bail.

EFCC says the defendants received money from a former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, ahead of the 2015 general elections.

It also said the money was part of a total sum of $115 million allegedly disbursed by Alison-Madueke to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

When the case was called on Friday before Justice Aneke, the ex-minister’s counsel, Bolaji Ayorinde, prayed the court to give another date for the re-arraignment, saying that lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, and himself were to appear in another trial before another judge.

His application was not opposed by other counsels.

The case was consequently adjourned until June 11.