Ikuforiji spent N25m on wife’s orderly, others –EFCC

Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji
| credits: File copy

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecution witness, Adeniyi Adebayo, on Monday narrated before a Federal High Court, Lagos, how the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, collected millions of naira in cash from the House under various headings.

Adebayo did the narration while continuing his testimony at the ongoing trial of Ikuforiji and his personal assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi, for alleged money laundering.

Both Ikuforiji and Atoyebi are being prosecuted by the EFCC for 54 counts of recieving over N600m from the Lagos State House of Assembly without passing through a financial institution between April 2010 and July 2011.

Adebayo, an EFCC investigator, commenced his testimony on November 21, before Justice Ibrahim Buba.

He said on Monday that Atoyebi had admitted that he received millions of naira in cash from the Accounts Department of the Lagos State House of Assembly on behalf of the speaker.

According to the witness, Atoyebi on different occasions collected money in cash on behalf of Ikuforiji for Ramadan; the speaker’s wife’s orderly; the speaker’s office; running expenses, and members’ travelling allowances.

He added that sums of money were also collected from the House of Assembly by Atoyebi for estacodes; speakers’ residence allowances; and speakers’ guest house allowances, among others.

Led in evidence by the prosecutor, Mr. Godwin Obla (SAN), the witness said his team of investigators got the information through investigations into the cash registers recovered from the House of Assembly.

Adebayo said, “On August 1, 2011, the second accused (Atoyebi) signed and collected about N4,444,770 on behalf of the first accused (Ikuforiji), with the heading: ‘National Council for State Legislators Conference, United States’.

“In the cash register, it was also discovered that on August 3, 2011, the second accused collected the sum of N10m on behalf of the Speaker, and the payment was tagged, ‘Ramadam’. It was signed and dated August 4, 2011.

“On August 23, 2011, the sum of N1.2m was also collected by the second accused, on behalf of the Speaker, and the transaction was tagged ‘money for orderly to the wife of speaker’.

“Also in August 2011, the second accused collected N6,464,976 meant for the Powell Foundation event on behalf of the speaker.”

The witness added that the sum of N2.725m was collected by Atoyebi to enable members of the House of Assembly participate in the Parliamentary Study Tours and Training in London on July 12, 2011

Counsel for the accused, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), however, urged the court to direct the prosecution to “isolate the documents” it intended to use for the purpose of. Adebayo’s testimony in order to save the time of the court.

In acceding to the lawyer’s request, Justice Buba urged the prosecuting counsel to sort out documents which he considered useful for the trial, so as to enhance accelerated hearing of the suit.

The judge then adjourned the case to January 7, 8 and 10, 2014 for continuation of trial.

The EFCC said the alleged offence contravened Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011.

PUNCH