The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Paul Usoro and four others with alleged fraud involving N1.4 billion.
Others charged along with him are Nsikan Nkan, described as commissioner for Finance, Akwa Ibom State; Mfon Udomah, described as the accountant-general of Akwa Ibom State; Uwemedimo Nwoko, described as the Akwa Ibom State attorney general and commissioner for Justice and Margaret Ukpe, all of whom are said to be at large.
The defendants were charged before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The EFCC, in a charge marked FHC/418c/18, alleged that Usoro, from Akwa Ibom State converted and laundered the money in connivance with the state governor, M. Udom Emmanuel.
However, the governor was not listed one of the defendants in the as the EFCC indicated that he is “currently constitutionally immune against criminal prosecution.”
The anti-graft agency alleged that the NBA chairman, in league with the others mentioned conspired among themselves to commit the offence sometime in 2015 “within the jurisdiction of this honourable court”.
It claimed that the N1.4bn 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, said in the charge sheet that the offence is contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
He added that Usoro is liable to be punished under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
