Lukman Olabiyi
The senator representing Delta-North in the National Assembly, Peter Nwaoboshi was, on Friday, re-arraigned before Justice C.J Aneke of the Federal High Court , Lagos State, over allegation of fraud to the tune of N805 million.
He was re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). His re-arraignment before Justice Aneke was sequel to the elevation of the former judge handling the case, Justice Mohammed Idris, to the Court of Appeal.
Other defendants in the charge are two companies – Golden Touch Construction Projects Ltd and Summing Electricals Ltd.
In the charge, the anti-graft agency accused Sen. Nwaoboshi of purchasing Guinea House, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos at the sum of N805 million knowing that N322 million of the sum is from proceed of fraud.
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The commission also accused Summing Electricals Ltd of aiding and abetting Sen. Nwaoboshi to commit money laundering.
Like he earlier did when first arraigned before Justice Idris on April 25, 2018, Nwaoboshi pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him afresh on Friday
Even his co-defendants, Golden Touch Construction Project Limited and Suiming Electricals Limited, equally reiterated their not guilty plea.
The defence counsel, Emmanuel Kachukwu (SAN), had prayed Justice Aneke to allow the senator to continue with the bail earlier granted him by Justice Idris.
He also urged the judge to order the release of Nwaoboshi’s passport to enable him to travel to Indonesia on October 8 and return on October 19, 2018.
Justice Aneke granted both prayers.
The judge said the passport should be returned to the court’s registrar by October 23, 2018.
Justice Aneke, thereafter, adjourned further proceedings in the case until October 25, 2018.
According to the EFCC, the defendants acted contrary to sections 18(a) and15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and are liable to punishment under Section 15(3) of the same Act.