Admin l Tuesday, April 4, 2023
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The trial of former Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olasupo Shasore SAN could not go ahead as scheduled today.
The former AG is on trial for alleged money laundering to the tune of $200,000 at Domestic and Special Offences Court in Ikeja. But the procedure was truncated due to disagreement over services of documents between prosecution and defence.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on October 21, last year, arraigned the former attorney-general on a two-count charge bordering on corrupt offers. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumption of the trial today, Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the case after the lead defence counsel, Chijioke Okoli, SAN, sought for the adjournment of the case pending the sorting out of the issue of the disputed documents.
Okoli told the court that defence had filed an application dated December 2, to seek for an adjournment. He added there was a need for adjournment because defence needed more documents from the prosecution to defend their case
The EFCC counsel, Bala Sanga, had informed the court that he was ready to proceed with trial as that was the business of the day. Justice Dada however granted the prayer of the defence and adjourned till today
Appearing before the court today, Shahore counsel, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, informed the court that the prosecutor is yet to oblige them with the documents they requested for at the last adjourned date.
He noted that the defence would need those documents to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charges.
In a counter response, the EFCC Counsel, Bala Sanga, told the court that they have served the defence with the requested document, while showing the court the proof of service.
The judge who confirmed that the proof of service was not in the court file, urged the prosecutor to file an affidavit of service. Subsequently, the matter was adjourned till June 20, for trial.
Charges filed by EFCC against Shasore reads:
“That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N on of about the 18th day f November, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court induced Olufolakemi Adelore to commit an offence, to wit accepting cash payment of the sum of US100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) without going through a financial and made cash payment of the sum of USD100,000.00 (One Hundred thousand United State Dollars) to one Ikechukwu Oguine which sum exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary sections 1(a) and 16(1),(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act, as amended) and punishable under section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.”
“That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N on or about the 18th day of November, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, in a transaction without going through a financial institution, made cash payment of the sum of USD 100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) to Olufolakemi Adelore through Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin which sum exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 1(a) and 16(1)(d) the Money Laundering(Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.
“That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N, on or about the 18th November, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, induced one Ikechukwu Oguine,to commit an offence, to wit: accepting case payment of the sum of USD100,000.00 (One Hundred thousand United States Dollars) without going through a financial institutions, which such amount exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you are thereby commited an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.
“That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N on or about 18th day of November, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without going through a financial institutions and made cash payment of the sum of USD100,000.00 (One Hundred thousand United State Dollars) to one Ikechukwu Oguine which sum exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary sections 1(a) and 16(1),(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act, as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.”
