The former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, on
Thursday, failed to persuade the Federal High Court in Abuja to quash the
three-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
preferred against him.
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| Ikedi Ohakim |
The court, in a
ruling by Justice Ademola Adeniyi, held that the former governor who piloted
the affairs of Imo state between May 2007 and May 2011, has a case to answer
pertaining to the charges against him. The charges border on money laundering,
abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds. Justice Adeniyi held that
the anti-graft agency successfully established a prima-facie criminal case
against the defendant that would warrant him to enter his defence before the
court.
Consequently,
Ohakim’s no-case-submission was dismissed by the court which ordered the former
governor to open his defence on October 10. The charge against Ohakim arose
from his alleged purchase of the property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Plot No
1098, Cadastral ZoneA04, Asokoro District, Abuja with cash payment of $2.29m
which was said to be dollar equivalent of N270m in November 2008. The property,
according to the agency, was acquired with funds the defendant allegedly
laundered from Imo state treasury.
He was also accused
of failing to declare the property as part of his assets when asked by the EFCC
to do so. The prosecution said the erstwhile governor violated section 15(1)(d)
and section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004. Ohakim
was said to have paid for the property in cash.
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