AKONI

EFCC SHUNS COURT ORDER, WITHHOLDS SHASORE’S PASSPORT

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has defied an order of the Federal High Court to transmit the international passport of embattled former Lagos State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olasupo Shasore SAN to the court’s registry.

Meanwhile, the absence of EFCC Prosecutor, Mr. Bala Sanga yesterday scuttled the trial of Shasore for alleged money laundering.

When the matter came up yesterday, the Lead Defence Counsel, Mr. Wale Akoni SAN told the court that the anti-graft agency had not complied with the order to deposit Shasore’s international passport with the court’s registry.

He also noted that the defence team was in receipt of a letter by the prosecutor requesting an adjournment of the case as it conflicted with another criminal matter that he has in an Abuja court.

Following the abortion of trial, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke adjourned the matter to February 21, 2023 for trial.

Though Sanga had during arraignment prayed the court to remand Shasore in custody, the court had ruled as follows: “There is no doubt that the court must strike a balance based on the evidence before it, between the constitutional rights of the defendant to liberty and presumption of innocence and the rights of the state to prosecute its erring citizens,” the judge held.

“The defendant’s application for bail succeeds and the bail is accordingly granted in the following terms:

“Defendant applicant is admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum. The surety must be a serving director or a permanent secretary in the service of the federation or the Lagos state government. Surety to produce two copies each of his or her recent passport photograph and evidence of payment of tax or tax clearance.

“The defendant’s international passport with the complainant shall be deposited with the registrar of this court pending trial. This is the ruling of the honourable court.”

CITY LAWYER had in an exclusive report noted how a four-man team of Senior Advocates had battled to secure bail for Shasore following his arraignment last October on a four-count charge bordering on money laundering. The team was then led by Mr. Charles Candide-Johnson SAN. Others in the defence team were Dr. Muiz Banire SAN, Mr. Segun Ajibola SAN, and Mr. Chijioke Okoli SAN.

The matter is filed as Charge No. FHC/L/447C/2022, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Olasupo Shasore, SAN. Shasore was the Chief Law Officer during the administration of former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N. on or about the 18th day of November 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court induced Olufolakemi Adelore to commit an offence, to wit accepting cash payment of the sum of US100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) without going through a financial institution which such exceeded the amount authorised by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 78(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 16(6) of the same Act.”

Count two reads: “That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N on or about the 18th day of November 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, in a transaction without going through a financial institution, made cash payment of the sum of USD 100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) to Olufolakemi Adelore through Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin, which sum exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 1(a) and 16(1)(d) the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended) and punishable under section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”

Count three reads: “That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N., on or about the 18th November, 2014, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, induced one Ikechukwu Oguine, to commit an offence, to wit: accepting case payment of the sum of USD100,000.00 (One Hundred thousand United States Dollars) without going through a financial institution, which such amount exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) Of the same Act.”

Count four reads: “That you Olasupo Shasore, S.A.N on or about the 18th day of November 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without going through a financial institution and made cash payment of the sum of USD100,000.00 (One Hundred thousand United State Dollars) to one Ikechukwu Oguine which sum exceeded the amount permitted by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary sections 1(a) and 16(1),(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act, as amended) and punishable under section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.”

It is recalled that Shasore was last January invited by the anti-graft agency to shed light on his involvement in the Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) case. The former Lagos attorney-general had represented Nigeria on the P&ID case.

The Federal Government had told a UK court that Shasore colluded with P&ID to pervert justice in the controversial gas supply purchasing agreement (GSPA) contract. Shasore denied the allegation.

The P&ID had won a $9.6 billion judgment against Nigeria in a British court, claiming that it entered a contract to build a gas processing plant in Calabar, Cross River State. The company stated that the deal collapsed because the Federal Government did not fulfil its side of the bargain.

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  • EMEKA NWADIOKE
  • Jun 24, 2021
  • 1.22k
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  • Comments Off on NBA LAGOS ELECTIONS POSTPONED

NBA LAGOS ELECTIONS POSTPONED

  • ELECTORAL C’TE CITES VOTERS’ REGISTER ISSUES

  • COMMITTEE HIRES VOTE-NOW, USA VOTING FIRM

The eagerly awaited Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch Election has been postponed due to challenges encountered by the Electoral Committee in producing a valid voters’ register. The influential branch has by far the largest voting bloc in NBA.

Announcing the postponement of the election during the “NBA Lagos Manifesto Day” held last Friday, Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mr. Wale Akoni SAN said the postponement was to avoid breaching the NBA Uniform Bye Laws which provides that the register must be published 14 days to the election. The election will now hold on June 30, 2021 as against the earlier date of June 28 fixed by the committee.

Akoni bemoaned the state of the branch database, saying that it was “really, really difficult” validating eligible voters for the poll. Noting that “We shouldn’t be here in 2021,” the leading litigator observed that “there is so much technology available” to deal with database challenges, adding that there should be a platform where information on members’ payments and attendance at meetings among others should be readily available.

The Electoral Committee also said that it is “still attending to questions and complaints” from branch members, notwithstanding that it had released the “Final list of eligible voters” containing 885 names, up from 832 provisional voters’ list. Some members have complained that they may be unduly disenfranchised due to the absence of their names on the voters’ register. The final voters’ list has 111 more eligible voters than the 2019 register with 774 voters.

The committee had in a rare email to members stated that “Elections are by electronic voting,” adding that “The link to the secret ballot will be sent electronically to all eligible voters. Eligible voters can vote online from their computers or mobile devices anywhere in the world.” The committee also plans to provide computers in yet-to-be-disclosed designated centres for eligible voters who may wish to cast their ballots there. The candidates’ manifestos have been published on the dysfunctional election website.

Meanwhile, barring any last-minute change of mind, CITY LAWYER can authoritatively reveal that the Electoral Committee has opted for Vote-Now.com LLC as the voting platform for the election. Vote-Now.com was the platform adopted for the 2019 rancour-free poll conducted by the Richard Akintunde-led Electoral Committee. The company prides itself as providing balloting services that “reduce the time, expense, and environmental impact of your election process, while increasing voter turnout and member participation in governance.”

According to the Jacksonville, USA based company, “The VTNW balloting system was specifically designed by University Scientists for use in Professional organization elections. With 23+ years of experience conducting web-based elections, we have assisted hundreds of business and academic professional organizations, HOA’s, non-profit groups, and universities with their balloting needs.” The branch paid about $2300 for the deployment of the platform, Akintunde told CITY LAWYER in an interview to herald the 2019 Elections.

Meanwhile, only two posts will be contested during the elections, as the other positions are unopposed. While Messrs Anthony Atata, Seth Amaefule and Ikechukwu Uwanna will slug it out for the coveted post of Branch Chairman, the race for who becomes the next Branch Secretary is between Miss Nta Ekpiken, Mr. Shola Abiloye and incumbent Publicity Secretary, Mr. James Sonde.

CITY LAWYER recalls that leading corporate lawyer and outgoing Branch Chairman, Mr. Yemi Akangbe had  during the 2019 Elections polled 440 (56.8%) of the 774 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr. Adebola Lema who garnered 311 votes or 40.2%. 

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