The Economic and Fina-ncial Crimes Commis-sion (EFCC) yesterday filed a 142- count charge against former Edo State governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, before a Federal High Court in Kaduna.
This is coming on the heels of a warrant of arrest against the former governor by a Federal High Court in Abuja to answer charges on money laundering and illegal diversion of public funds preferred against him by the EFCC.
The order was issued at the instance of the EFCC, who, THISDAY learnt, will also arraign two former governors in the next one week.
The anti-graft agency had approached the court for a warrant to apprehend Igbinedion, who is presently at large.
By the order dated January 8, 2008 and entitled “Bench Warrant”, any police officer who sets his or her eyes on the former governor is mandated to arrest him.
The order is expected to be executed in conjunction with Interpol, following reports that the former governor had been sighted in some European countries and North Africa in the last six months.
The former governor had been at large since May 29, 2007 when he handed over power to the incumbent governor, Prof Oserheimen Osunbor.
Igbinedion is to stand trial alongside Gava Corporation Limited, a company in which he and his father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and other members of his family had substantial interest; Ekpen & Sons Company, a company solely owned by his Senior Special Adviser, Patrick Eboigbodin (now at large); and Kiva Corporation Limited.
They are being charged with fraud, conspiracy, concealment and money laundering, an offence punishable under the Money Laundering (Prohibition ) Act 2003.
They were accused of concealing the origin of billions of naira that formed part of the statutory allocation to the state local governments� funds. They were also accused of collaborating to perpetrate money laundering. The offence was contrary to Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2003.
The charge sheet dated January 2008 was signed by one Isa Bature Gafai, for the EFCC.
In some of the charges, the former governor was also accused of collaborating with his younger brother, Mike Igbinedion, to retain in his account, huge sums of money running in billions of naira. Most of the transactions were said to have taken place at Intercontinental Bank Plc.
Some of the 29 count charges are as follows: “That you Lucky Igbinedion on or about 22nd July, 2003 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Gava Corporation Limited (a company owned by your father Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and other members of your family and in which you had substantial interest) to retain in its account, the sum of N34,800,000.00 (Thirty Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) which sum formed part of the funds illegally withdrawn from the account of the Edo State Government and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 and punishable under Section 16 of Money Laundering (Prohibition ) Act 2003.
“That you Lucky Igbinedion and Kiva Corporation Limited on or about 23rd May , 2007 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did collaborate with each other to conceal the genuine origin of the sum of N18,000,000.00 (Eighteen Million, Naira) which sum formed part of the funds illegally withdrawn from the account of the Edo State Government by lodging same into the account of Kiva Corporation Limited with Intercontinental Bank Plc and which sum you knew represented the proceed of crime and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition ) Act 2004.
�That you Lucky Igbinedion on or about 4th March, 2005 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure one Mike Igbinedion (your brother) to retain in his account, the sum of N6,000,000.00 (six million naira) which sum formed part of the funds illegally withdrawn from the account of the Edo State Government and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 and punishable under Section 16 of Money Laundering (Prohibition ) Act 2004.
�That you Lucky Igbinedion on or about 29th September, 2005 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Ekpen & Sons Company (a company solely owned by Patrick Eboigbodin, your Senior Special Adviser) to retain in its account, the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) which sum formed part of the funds illegally withdrawn from the account of the Edo State Government and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 and punishable under Section 16 of Money Laundering (Prohibition ) Act 2004.�
Jan92008