A
former minister and senator has turned herself in at Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission's office in Lagos as a Reps member who stood
surety for her, was released.
The ex-minister, Jumoke
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released a
member of the Federal House of Representatives, Aliyu Ahman Pategi who
stood surety for Mrs. Jumoke Akinjide, a former minister and senator in
Nigeria after she turned herself in at the commissions' office in
Lagos.
A Lagos state magistrate court at Igbosere, on Tuesday, struck out
the lawsuit against Mr. Pategi upon a joint request of both the counsel
for the Commission, Rotimi Oyedepo, and the defendant's lawyer,
Olusegun Williams, to withdraw the case.
According to SaharaReporters, Magistrate Afolashade Boloku
consequently struck out the suit and ordered the anti-graft agency to
release Mr. Pategi who has been in custody since Friday, June 16 2017.
Mr. Pategi who is believed to be Mrs. Akinjide's husband stood
surety and entered a bail bond of N650million for the former Minister of
State who was detained in 2016 for alleged money laundering. She had
continuously jumped the administrative bail granted her by the
anti-graft agency.
At the resume of hearing today, Mr. Williams informed that his
client had reached out to the prosecution to negotiate the possibility
of settling out of court. He then urged the court to step down the
matter for him to consult with his client and initiate negotiation with
the prosecution.
"It is correct that the business of the day is for bail and possibility of a preliminary objection" Mr. Williams said but added; "I
am obliged to inform the court that at the tail end of your lordship
coming to sit, we have reached out to negotiate and we are negotiating
terms for an amiable terms"
The judge granted the request to step the matter down.
However, the matter was eventually struck out with the information that Mrs. Akinjide had turned herself in.
Rotimi told the court; "I confirm from lead of operation EFCC
zonal office in Lagos that Mrs Jumoke Akinjide has turned herself in the
custody of EFCC. Since it was the inability of the 3nd respondent to
produce her that triggered the application, we will therefore in the
interest of justice apply for the suit to strike out in view of the
success of the 2nd defendant to produce the 1st defendant".
Sources from the EFCC office in Ikoyi informed Saharareporters that
the former minister would be held in their custody until June 22 when
she would be arraigned in court for money laundering.
The anti-graft agency had attempted to arraign Mrs. Akinjide at the
Federal High Court in Ibadan but the former minister didn't to show up
for arraignment.
The Commission filed a 24-count charge against her before Justice Ayo Emmanuel in Suit No. FHC/IB/26C/2017.
However, Mrs. Akinjide refused to turn up in court after more than
three proceedings despite the service of the charges on her, a situation
that prompted the court to threaten to dismiss the charges if the
prosecution fails to produce her at the next adjourned date.
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