EFCC Re-Arraigned Former Minister’s Son

The anti-graft agency had on February 1, 2017, arraigned Shamsudeen on 15 counts of N1.1bn money laundering and false asset declaration. The original charges had been filed on December 2, 2016.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday re-arraigned Shamsudeen Bala-Mohammed, a son of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Bala Mohammed.

There was no remarkable difference between the former charges and the new set which the defendant, again, on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to.

The charges amended by the EFCC on May 25, 2017 contained the same number and set of offences except the inclusion in counts one to 10, details of the bank account and the amount which the defendant allegedly failed to disclose when he declared his assets to the anti-graft agency on June 9, 2015.

The lead prosecuting counsel, Ben Ikani, told journalists after the proceedings on Tuesday, that the essence of the latest amended charge was in compliance with the law which provided for full disclosure to the defendant the allegations for which he (the defendant) was being prosecuted.

The former FCT minister, Bala Mohammed, who is the father of the defendant, was present in court to witness the re-arraignment of his son on Tuesday.

The former minister is also being separately prosecuted by the EFCC on six counts  bordering on receiving of gratification and making false assets declaration of some of his properties.

Mohammed was arraigned before Justice Abubakar Talba of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, on May 11, 2017 and was granted bail the following day after being remanded for 24 hours in Kuje Prison, Abuja.

On Tuesday, after Shamsudeen pleaded not guilty to the amended charges, his lawyer, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), applied that the bail earlier granted the defendant be allowed to continue.

The prosecuting counsel, Ikani, did not object to the application.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba granted the application and fixed June 26 for commencement of trial.

Shamsudeen was charged along with four companies, namely: Bird Trust Argo Limited, Intertrans Global Logistics Limited, Diakin Telecommunications Limited and Bal-Vac Mining Nigeria Limited.

He pleaded not guilty to all the counts for himself and on behalf of the companies when the charges were read to him on Tuesday. 

The sum of N1,105,719,005 was involved in the offences allegedly committed by the defendants in 2015.

The EFCC accused the minister’s son of making cash payments above statutory limit for construction and purchase of properties in various parts of Abuja.

The offence was said to be in violation of the Money Laundering  (Prohibition) Act.

The commission also accused Shamsudeen of failing to declare his assets when he completed the EFCC Asset Declaration Form A. 

The suspect allegedly concealed four of his accounts domiciled in Standard Chartered Bank.

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