Okoro Chinedu
17:30 11/06/2015
Lagos - Imaobong Akon Esu-Nte, the Nigeria Prisons Service
Accountant, has failed in her bid to have a myriad of charges bordering
on fraud against her dropped by the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
Justice
Chukwu has dismissed the application seeking to quash the 11- count
charge of money laundering, conspiracy, forgery and abuse of office.
Esu-Ente’s legal team argued the court did not disclose a prima facie case against her.
Her
team said Esu-Nte, was also standing trial on a similar charge before
another court and added that the charge before Justice Chukwu amounted
to an abuse of court process.
Justice Chukwu held that the court retains jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter and ordered the continuation of the trial.
The case has subsequently been adjourned to July 9 for further hearing.
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission seeks the prosecution of
Etsu-Nte alongside one Olukolade Olabamiji, a businessman and Mohammed
Abdulkadir, a banker, for allegedly laundering funds from the Nigeria
Prisons Service into the accounts of companies where she has interests.
During
the trial, which began in March, the court has heard how the Abuja
socialite, Esu-Nte, used her position as Prison Accountant, in
connivance with other suspects, to launder money from the accounts of
the Nigeria Prisons Service to their companies named as Royal Mall
Nigeria Limited, Transferase Ventures and I.D Integrated Petroleum on
the guise of executing non-existent contracts.
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