Court Adjourns Corruption Trial Of Ize-Iyamu, Four Others To January 14, 2021

A Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, on Thursday, adjourned the case of money laundering against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate in the 2016 governorship election in the state, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, till January 14, 2021.

Ize-Iyamu and four others were dragged before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The other four defendants are Lucky Imasuen, former deputy governor of Edo state; Chief Dan Orbih, former PDP chairman in Edo state; Tony Aziegbemi; and Efe Erimuoghae.

Ize-Iyamu and the other defendants were first arraigned before Justice P. I. Ajoku on an eight-count bordering on money laundering on May 24, 2018.

The defendants were alleged to have sometime in March 2015 in Benin City directly taken possession of the sum N700 million without any contract award, which sum was allegedly part of proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: fraud and corruption.

EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, said counsel to the first defendant, Charles Edosomwan, during Thursday’s sitting, informed the court that he had filed a motion challenging its jurisdiction on the grounds that the charge filed against the defendants were based on election matters.

Uwujaren added that Edosomwan argued that the appropriate court to try electoral matters was the Magistrates’ Court or High Court of the state.

The same argument, the EFCC spokesman said, was canvassed by the counsel to the other defendants.

The anti-graft spokesman said: “However, the prosecuting counsel, Francis A.Jirbo countered the argument with the submission that the information before the court is a money laundering charge for which the Federal High Court has exclusive jurisdiction..

“After listening to both counsel, Justice M. G. Umar adjourned the case to January 14, 2021 for ruling.”