Admin l Tuesday, May 02, 2017
IKOYI, Lagos, Nigeria – Governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Kwara State, Muhammed Dele Belgore has filed an application challenging the validity of the five count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Counsel to Belgore, Ebun Shofunde, argued that the charge was not accompanied by proof of evidence as provided for by the Administration of Criminal Justice Acts (ACJA), hence urged the court to dismiss the case for lack of competence.
Rotimi Oyedepo, EFCC’s lawyer, acknowledged that his agency received the application but has not responded to it, adding that such application cannot stall trial slated for today. He went further to argue that the objection to the substantive suit can only be considered at the end of the trial.
Shofunde opposed to this argument saying the defense can raise objection at any point during the course of a trail.
The presiding judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, in a short ruling agreed that objection to the suit could be raised at any point during a trial but the ruling thereon can only be delivered alongside with judgment at the end of the trial, adding that ACJA is clear that objection cannot stall trial.
However, the hearing came to an abrupt end when Olutunji Ayanlaja (SAN), counsel to the 2nd defendant, told the court that he could no longer bear the heat in the courtroom, as he was feeling dizzy.
The judge then adjourned the matter to May 31, 2017 for continuation of hearing.
Belgore was arraigned on February 8, 2017, alongside Abubakar Suleiman, a former Minister for National Planning, and professor of political science and international relations at University of Abuja.
The anti-graft agency accused them of conspiring to take possession of the N450million, “which they reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act”.
EFCC said they committed the alleged offense on March 27, 2015, contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.
At the last hearing, the anti-graft agency tendered, as evidence, the list that has Belgore and Suleiman as alleged beneficiary of the sum of $115,010,000, allegedly disbursed by the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke.
