Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos has ordered that Mr. Abdullahi Babalele be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Babalele who is the son in-law to the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 2019 presidential election, Mr. Atiku Abubakar, will be remanded till Thursday when his bail application would he heard.
The accused, who is facing a two-count charge, was arraigned on Wednesday by the EFCC on a two-count charged of alleged money laundering.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the charge signed on behalf of the EFCC by its prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, the defendant committed the offence in February, 2019.
The charge reads: That you Abdullahi Babalele on or about the 20th day of February, 2019 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured Bashir Mohammed to make cash payment of the sum of $140, 000.00…without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.
“That you Abdullahi Babalele on or about the 20th day of February, 2019 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, aided Bashir Mohammed to make cash payment of the sum of $140, 000.00…without going through financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2) (b) of the same Act.
