The Economic and Financial Crimes Commissio, EFCC, has finally dragged a former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Olasupo Shasore, SAN, to court for money laundering allegations, totaling more than 200,000 dollars.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria during his arraignment on Thursday pleaded not guilty to the four count-charge at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
The EFCC prosecution team is led by Bala Sanga, while Yemi Candide-Johnson, SAN, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, Segun Ajibola, SAN, and Chijioke Okoli, SAN, appeared for the defendant.
After the arraignment, the defendant through his counsel then applied for bail on liberal terms or on self-recognisance, arguing that Mr. Shasore, SAN, isn’t a flight risk and that the alleged offences are bailable.
The EFCC, did not oppose the bail application.
The defendant was alleged to have induced one Olufolakemi Adelore, in accepting cash payment of the sum of $100,000.00, without going through a financial institution.
Mr. Shasore was also alleged to have made the cash payment to Ms. Adelore through two persons; Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin.
According to the charge, the senior lawyer made a cash payment of the sum of $100, 000.00 to one Ikechukwu Oguine without going through a financial institution.
The defendant allegedly made the questionable payments of $100,000 each to Ms. Adelore and Mr. Oguine, who served as lawyers for the Nigerian Petroleum Ministry and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, at the time.
According to the anti-graft agency, the said offences involving Mr. Shasore contravened Sections 78(c); 1(a) and 16(1)(d) and 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(6) and 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who was the Lagos State’ Attorney-General and Justice Commissioner, during former governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola’s administration and was said to have committed the alleged offences on or about November 18, 2014.
The charges are linked with the botched 2010 gas processing deal between Nigeria and a British Virgin Island firm, Process and Industrial Development, P&ID.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Aneke granted him bail in the sum of 50 million naira and he’s to provide a surety in like sum.
The defendant’s surety must also be a serving director or permanent secretary at the Lagos State civil service. The defendant was ordered to submit his traveling passport to the registrar of the court.
The court also granted the request of the defence counsel that the defendant be handed over to his four leading senior counsel, who must guarantee his presence at the next adjourned date, which is fixed for November 24, 2022.
