Court dismisses $2m money laundering charge against Atiku’s lawyer

By Onozure Dania, Lagos

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday struck out a $2million money laundering charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, a lawyer to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

The court also discharged his brother Erhunse Giwa-Osagie of the same charge.

The duo were re-arraigned last February 23, on a three-count charge bordering on laundering $2million in the build-up to the last general elections.

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The EFCC had alleged that sometime in February 2019, the duo conspired and committed the offence by making a cash payment of the sum of $2million, without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law.

During the trial, the EFCC testified that sometime in 2019, it received intelligence that some politicians were moving around with United States dollars to influence the result of the last general elections.

EFCC called two witnesses who testified before the court that the $2million was evidence of such activity.

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The commission closed its case after calling two witnesses and asked the court to order the duo to open its defence.

However, the defendants opposed the anti-graft agency, arguing among others that they never acted illegally.

They filed a no-case submission praying the judge to dismiss the charge. Ruling on the applications, Justice Aneke upheld the Giwa-Osagies’ submissions.

He held, among others, that the EFCC failed to establish that the money was illegal.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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