1 week ago
22
From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
A Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Adam Yusuf was yesterday docked over alleged N1.1 billion money laundering offences by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Yusuf was arraigned before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court alongside a company, Ummays Hummayd Energy Ltd, allegedly operated by him.
The defendants were arraigned by the anti- corruption agency before Justice Inyang Ekwo on a three-count amended charge.
While Yusuf is the 1st defendant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/158/2023, the company is the 2nd defendant.
They however pleaded not guilty to the counts when they were read to them.
In count one, Yusuf was alleged to have, sometime in January 2020 or thereabout in Abuja while being a staff of NSCDC, taken possession of the sum of N410 million deposited into his Zenith Bank account number: 2219799630 by Gate Coast Properties International Limited.
In count two, Yusuf was alleged to have, sometime in January 2020 or thereabout in Abuja, taken possession of the sum of N150 million deposited into his Zenith Bank account number 2219799630 by Lahab Integrated & Multi-Services Limited.
Count three accused Yusuf and Ummays Hummayd Energy Ltd of taken possession of N540 million deposited by Lahab Integrated & Multi Services into the Zenith Bank account number: 1016516200 of the company operated by him.
The funds were said to form part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity and the offences were contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
Earlier when the matter was called, ICPC’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, informed the court that they had a motion on notice dated Feb. 10 but filed February 11, seeking to amend their charge.
Abdul Mohammed, SAN, who represented the defendants in court, did not oppose the application and the judge granted the leave to amend.
Akponimisingha therefore sought the leave of the court for the amended charge, dated February 10 but filed Feb. 11, to be read to Yusuf and his company for them to take their plea.
After they pleaded not guilty to the charge, Mohammed drew the attention of the court to the bail application filed on February 13.
The senior lawyer said the motion sought the discretionary power of the court to admit his client to bail.
Although Akponimisingha initially opposed the application citing alleged refusal of Yusuf to stand his trial, he however withdrew his objection later.
Ruling, Justice Ekwo who said he was minded to exercise the discretion in favour of Yusuf, admitted him to a N30 million bail.
The judge also ordered him to produce one surety who must be a responsible citizen and owner of a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court and not below the value of the bail sum.
The judge said the property should be verified by the registrar and the defendant should deposit his international passport and must not travel outside the jurisdiction without the permission of the court.
English (US) ·