Federal High Court Acquits Speaker Ikuforiji of N600m Money Laundering Charge

Ruling on the case, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court said Ikuforiji and his aide, Oyebode Atoyebi were not guilty of the 54-count charge instituted against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He said the EFCC ought to have treated the case as an aborted trial and discontinued. The ruling threw the entire Lagos Assembly complex into frenzy, as lawmakers, staff and friends of the House felicitate with the Speaker, who is also aiming to be the next governor of Lagos State on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reacting to the ruling at a press briefing attended by lawmakers, party members and some local government chairmen among others, the Speaker said he is grateful to all that had stood behind him during the 36-month trial, based on what he described as “spurious petition by some faceless individuals”.

“The concocted case” was “nothing but a distraction orchestrated by certain political detractors, who are still too cowardly to identify themselves. My acquittal by the court is a reminder that the wheel of justice may grind exceedingly slow, but it grinds exceedingly fine. Indeed, justice delayed is not always justice denied. Dear friends, the judiciary is still the last hope of the common man. Despite the travails of the last three years, I’ve never been more hopeful that the future of our country is bright.”

“This victory is not mine alone; It is our collective victory. It is a victory for democracy, judiciary, Lagos State House of Assembly, Lagos State government. We have been vindicated. It is a victory for every journalist, who stood on the side of the truth, even when they were being bombarded with lies. It is a victory for our party, the APC and everyone who has stood solidly by me in the last three years.”

He urged his loyalists not to rest on their oars as they savor the victory, adding that a lot still needed to be done as 2015 general election approaches.
“We must rally round to ensure victory for our party at all levels. Our politics should not divide us,” he said.

The EFCC had instituted a 54-count charge against Ikuforiji and his personal assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi, for laundering over N600 million contrary to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act (Establishment) Act, 2004.

Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who headed Ikuforiji’s defence team, presented a “No Case Submission” before the court, arguing that based on the evidence adduced and presented by the Prosecution to the Court, no criminal liability had been established against the Defendants.

In his judgement, Justice Buba granted the “No Case Submission” and accordingly acquitted and discharged the Defendants, stressing that the court was firmly of the view that “all the monies received by the Defendants went through the standard procedures and that the monies were received for the use of the House of Assembly”.