The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, consequently adjourned till November 21, 2016 for continuation of trial.
The scheduled trial of a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, for alleged N5.1bn fraud was stalled on Thursday due to the absence of his lawyer, Mr. Gboyega Oyewole.
Oyewole wrote to the court that he was ill.
The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, consequently adjourned till November 21, 2016 for continuation of trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Dudafa and a banker, Joseph Iwuejo, on 23 counts of alleged N5.1bn fraud.
The EFCC alleged that between June 2013 and June 2015, Dudafa and Iwuejo, who also claimed to be Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah, used different companies to fraudulently launder various sums of money running into N5.1bn.
The EFCC listed some of the companies allegedly used by the accused persons as Seagate Property Development & Investment Limited; Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited; Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; and Rotate Interlink Services Limited; Ibejige Services Limited; DeJakes Fast Food & Restaurant Nigeria Limited; and Ebiwise Resources.
One of the counts against the accused persons read, “That you, Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa and Iwejuo Joseph Nna (a.k.a. Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah), on or about the 11th day of June, 2013 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: concealing the proceeds of crime in the sum of N 1, 667,162,800.00 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 17(a) of the same Act.”
But Dudafa and Iwuejo had pleaded not guilty.
