The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has challenged the re-assignment of the money laundering charge that it had filed against the lawyer of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, to another judge. The move stalled the trial of the defendant today, at the Federal High Court Sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State.
Mr Uyi Giwa-Osagie, a senior Lawyer and his younger brother, Erhunse, are being tried before the court by the EFCC for allegedly laundering the sum of $2 million (USD). They were first arraigned before the vacation judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo on August 14, during the court’s long vacation on three counts of conspiracy and money laundering. But they pleaded not guilty and were granted bail by the court. After the court resumed from the vacation, they were re-arraigned on the same charge before Justice Chuka Obiozor.
But before their trial could commence before Justice Obiozor, their lawyers, Ahmed Raji and Norrison Quakers, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), wrote a letter to the Chief Judge of the court asking for the consolidation of the charge with that of another defendant, Abdullahi Babalele.
Babalele, who is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s son-in-law, is being tried before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke also of the same court for allegedly laundering the sum of $140, 000 USD.
