The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Kogi State House of Assembly candidate and two others before a Lagos Federal High Court, in connection with an alleged hacking of an old generation bank and fraud of N1,403,343,400 billion.
The Kogi State House of Assembly candidate, Ismaila Yousuf Atumeyi, was arraigned before the court alongside Ngene Joshua Dominic and Abdulmalik Salau.
Atumeyi is the Kogi State House of Assembly candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), for Ankpa 11 Constituency.
The EFCC, through its counsel Mr. Rotimi Oyrdepo (SAN) slammed the three defendants in an 18-count charge bordering on concealment of proceeds of fraud, money laundering and cybercrime against the defendants before the court presided over by Justice Tijjani Ringim.
Oyedepo (SAN) told the court in a charge numbered FHC/L/651C/2022, that the defendants committed the alleged offences between the months of August and October, 2022 in Lagos.
He said the three defendants conspired among themselves to “directly conceal” the N1.4 billion in the account of Fav Oil and Gas Limited, “which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18 (a), 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
The defendants were accused of laundering the sum in tranches of N100million, $480,000, N12.5million, N7million, N9million, N7m, N12m, N8m, $140,000 and N326,400,000.
Specifically, they were alleged to have acquired a N12.5 million black Mercedes Benz C300, N7 million BMW 3 Series, N9 million Black Range Rover, N7 million Toyota Hilux 2014 upgraded to 2021, N12 million Black BMW SURXI 2016 and N8 million White Toyota Hilux 2010 and N10 million White Toyota Hilux.
The court also heard that they allegedly directly transferred N80 million to Frank Maya Integrated Ventures, acquired a property known as No.8, Grace Crescent, Efab Queens Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja, concealed $140,000 and N326,400,000 in a Black Escalade SUV.
Oyedepo, who prayed for accelerated hearing of the case, said the anti-graft agency intends to call six witnesses against the defendants.
Each defendant pleaded not guilty.