Justice Mohammed Garba of the Federal High Court, Benin on Tuesday adjourned till July 14, 2020, the N700 million suit bothering on money laundering filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and four Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains.
The four PDP top members in the suit are the PDP zonal vice-chairman, Chief Dan Orbih; the Edo State chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi; former Edo State deputy governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, and one Mr. Efe Anthony.
Justice Mohammed Garba of the Federal High Court, Benin on Tuesday adjourned till July 14, 2020, the N700 million suit bothering on money laundering filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and four Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains.
The four PDP top members in the suit are the PDP zonal vice-chairman, Chief Dan Orbih; the Edo State chairman of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi; former Edo State deputy governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, and one Mr. Efe Anthony.
In Suit No. FHC/BE21C/ 2016, EFCC had filed an eight-count charge against the five accused persons for allegedly receiving public funds illegally to the tune of N700 million for the purpose of the 2015 general election.
During its last sitting on Thursday, June 18, 2020, the court validated the corruption charges against the defendants and adjourned the case to July 7, 2020, for further hearing.‎
Counsel to the first defendant (Ize-Iyamu), the Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Charles Edosomwan (SAN) told Justice Garba that his client, could not make it to the court as he was currently indisposed.
Edosomwan, a former Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice pleaded with the trial judge to allow him to present the certificate of his ill health as certified by his medical doctor to the court.
The court adjourned the case to July 14, 2020 for hearing after entertaining the counsel’s submission.
The five defendants are being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency for conspiring among themselves to commit the offence in March, 2015, alleging that they took possession and control of the funds without any contract award.
Source: The Punch
