Other
defendants in the suit are former Chairman of Edo State PDP, Chief Dan Orbih;
State PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi; former Deputy Governor Lucky Imasuen, and
Efe Anthony.
Governorship
candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo State, Pastor
Osagie
Ize-Iyamu, on Tuesday appeared before Justice Umar Garba of the Federal High
Court in Benin, over the N700 million money laundering suit filed against him
and four others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC, an
anti-graft agency in Suit No FHC/BE21C/ 2016 had filed an eight-count charge
against the accused person on alleged illegal receipt of public funds to the
tune of N700 million for the purpose of the 2015 general election.
The EFCC
further accused the defendants of conspiring among themselves to commit the
offence in March 2015, alleging that they took possession and control of the
funds without any contract award.
The trial
Judge had during the last adjournment (Monday, 7 July), threatened to
invalidate the bail granted to Ize-Iyamu, following the inability to appear in
court because of his alleged ill health.
However, the
APC standard-bearer appeared in court as early as 9:30am on Tuesday, July 14,
2020, waiting for the presiding judge to take his seat.
The
defendant’s Counsel had earlier filed a preliminary objection challenging the
jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit.
But on
Tuesday, July 14, 2020, the EFCC Prosecution Counsel, Ahmed Imoovba, pleaded
with the court by way of motion to seek an extension of time to file their
reply to the objection.
Having
listened careful to the various counsels, Justice Garb, asked them to file
whatever they have to file within seven days as the court would soon embark on
vacation.
He,
thereafter, adjourned the case to October 15, 2020, for further hearings.
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