Azeez Folorunso/
President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Paul Usoro (SAN), has been charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged graft of N1.4bn.
The member of the revered Inner Bar was charged before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
According to the charge sheet marked FHC/418c/18, filed before Justice Muslim Hassan, Usoro is facing criminal theft of the said sum being the property of the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The judge has fixed December 10, 2018, for the arraignment of the NBA President.
In the charge, EFCC claimed that Usoro converted and laundered the money in connivance with the governor of his state, Udom Emmanuel.
Emmanuel was, however, not listed as a defendant in the charge, as the EFCC indicated that he is “currently constitutionally immune against criminal prosecution”.
Besides, one Nsikan Nkan described as Commissioner for Finance, Akwa Ibom State; one Mfon Udomah, described as the Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State; Uwemedimo Nwoko, the Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; and Margaret Ukpe, all of whom were said to be at large were named in the charge.
The EFCC claimed that Usoro in connivance with the others mentioned conspired among themselves to commit the offence sometime in 2015 “within the jurisdiction of this honourable court”.
The anti-graft agency claimed that the N1.4billion allegedly converted and laundered by the defendants belonged to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
Counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, who signed the charge sheet, stated that the offence allegedly committed by the NBA President was contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
He added that the SAN was liable to be punished under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
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