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Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting
in Lagos on Friday adjourned till 11 November the money laundering trial of
Abdullahi Babalele, a son-in-law to a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
Babalele was re-arraigned on Tuesday, 8 October by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a two-count charge bordering
on money laundering to the tune of $140,000.00.
The defendant allegedly persuaded one Bashir Mohammed, a
Bureau De Change( BDC) operator, to make a cash payment of the sum of $140,000
without going through any financial institution, an offence contrary to Section
18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable
under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Abdullahi Babalele, on
or about the 20th day of February, 2019 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court, procured Basir Mohammed to make a cash payment of the sum
of $140,000.00 (One Hundred and Forty Thousand United States Dollars) without
going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized
by the Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(C) of
the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under
Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred
against him.
At the last sitting on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, the
prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of the existing bail
earlier granted the defendant and also sought the commencement of the trial.
However, counsel to the defendant, Mike Ozekhome, SAN,
informed the court about an application before it for the release of the
international passport of the defendant.
The defence counsel also told the court that he attached
some medical reports showing that the defendant was ill and would need to
undergo treatment abroad.
In his response, Oyedepo opposed the application and urged
the court to go through the medical report, saying, “There is no existing
appointment made to see any doctors abroad.
“The report shows that the defendant has no issue of trauma,
diabetes, high blood pressure or otherwise.”
Oyedepo, therefore, urged the court to refuse the
application on the grounds that “there is no material evidence before the court
to show that the defendant is in distress.”
Consequently, Justice Aneke adjourned the case till today
for ruling.
In his ruling, Justice Aneke granted the temporary release
of the defendant’s passport to enable him travel and take care of his health.
The Judge held that the defendant had shown that “he has
health issues with the evidence before the court.”
“Only the living can stand trial,” the Judge further held.
Justice Aneke however directed the defendant to return the
passport to the court’s Registrar on November 11, 2019.
The case was adjourned till November 11,12 and 13 for
commencement of trial.
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