GIFT ROBERTS
Money laundering trial of a former Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita and others, has again been adjourned by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja till February 24, 2021.
Oyo-Ita was arraigned on 18-count charge bordering on fraud and money laundering to the tune of over N570 million.
She is alleged to have obtained estacodes and duty tour allowance, DTA, for journeys either not undertaken or non-existent.
Others that were arraigned along with her are Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Garba Umar and his companies: Slopes International Limited and Gooddeal Investments Limited. Ubong Okon Effiok was equally arraigned with his companies: U & U Global Services Limited and Prince Mega Logistics Limited.
After their arraignment, the EFCC originated a non-conviction forfeiture process before Justice F. Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, who granted an order freezing the accounts of some of the defendants as sought by commission.
Dissatisfied by the freeze order, the defendants challenged the propriety of the order before Justice Taiwo, claiming it amounted to an abuse of court process.
At the last adjourned date, December 2, 2020 Justice Taiwo had fixed February 11, for ruling on the propriety of the freeze order after the defendants had been properly arraigned before him.
However, at the mention of the case on Thursday, the trial judge noted that the ruling was not ready as the court had to consider all the submissions, including processes that the prosecution was mandated to submit.