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Michael
Igbinedion
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Justice J. Liman of the Federal High Court, Benin, on
Wednesday convicted Charles Eboigbodin and Michael Igbinedion, younger brother
to Lucky Igbinedion, former Edo State governor.
The duo alongside their
companies: Gava Corporation Limited; Romrig Nigeria Limited; PML Securities
Company Limited and PML Nigeria Limited, were prosecuted on an 81-count charge
of money laundering, misappropriation of funds and abuse of office brought
against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The convicts pleaded not
guilty when they were arraigned, setting the stage for a full trial. In the
course of trial, the prosecution called several witnesses to prove its case.
One of them, Ajoyo
Sowale, an Accounts Officer with the Guaranty Trust Bank, identified various
account statements and account opening documents of the convicts and confirmed
to the court that several lodgements were made into the accounts, and that he
printed the account statements and got them certified by the appropriate
authority.
The parties adopted their
written addressed in November 14, 2014, while judgment was fixed for December
1, 2014. But a series of adjournments delayed the delivery of the ruling till
April 29.
When justice Liman
finally delivered his ruling today, he found the two accused persons guilty on
some of the counts. The judge convicted Mr. Eboigbodin for money laundering on
counts 50-59, while Mr. Igbinedion was pronounced guilty as charged on counts
79-81.
The judge however
deferred the sentencing of the convicts till tomorrow April 30, 2015.
Some lawyers in court
said they were shocked that while the suspects committed the same offence and
faced the same charges, the judge found Mr. Igbinedion guilty of a lesser
offence.
“As it is now, Igbinedion
may get away with a slap on the wrist while Eboigbodin may face a more severe
punishment.”
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