The bail hearing of four officials of the state government arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Office on money laundering, has been postponed.
Justice Babangana Ashigar, of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, postponed the hearing.
The suspects arraigned include the Permanent Secretary, Kwara State Government House, Abubakar Ishiak, Director of Administration And Finance, Shina Akorede, Controller Finance and Account, Rasaq Momonu and cashier of the Kwara State Government House, Hafees Yusuf.
The four men were first arraigned on May 2 on two counts of money laundering and making cash payments of N20.3 million.
The payments were allegedly made to one Energy Multi-Trade Unique Interbiz Limited through the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Jimoh Sarafadeen Kolade, for services rendered to the Kwara State Government house.
The sum was said to have exceeded the limitation of 10 million Naira payable to a corporate body and thereby resulting in an offence contrary to Section 1 (b) and punishable under Section 16 of the same act.
At the hearing today for their bail application, the prosecuting counsel, Christopher Mschelia, urged the presiding judge to accelerate the proceedings of the arraigned officials in order for the trials to commence.
In response, the lead counsel to the defence, Abdulwahab Bamidele, however, noted that the case was bordering on money laundering which does not involve human lives, hence it is bailable.
Countering the position, Mscheli, insisted that any case on the nation’s economy is equivalent to human life.
After listening to both parties, Justice Ashigar then postponed the date for hearing on bail application till further notice and ordered that the accused persons be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
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