NAN-H-73
Bail
By Wandoo Sombo
Abuja, Nov. 1, 2016 (NAN) Amarachi Enyinnaya, a defendant standing trial for alleged money laundering, on Tuesday in Abuja broke down in tears when Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja denied her bail.
Enyinnaya and four others–Abuchi Anthony Igwe, Kelechi Iwuoha, Obioma Nwagu (at large) and Blessed Obialo Nig. Ltd–are standing trial on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering and impersonation.
Abang, in a ruling, struck out the bail applications of the 1st and 3rd defendants for incompetence and also refused the oral application of the 2nd defendant.
The judge ordered that the defendants should be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He asked the defence counsel to file written applications for bail, saying that the court would give an early date to hear the applications.
Abang adjourned the case till Dec. 14 and Dec.15 for commencement of trial.
In the charge, Igwe was alleged to have had in her possession documents representing her to be the wife of the late Col. Muammar Gaddafi and was looking for where to invest some money.
Igwe, who is the 1st defendant, was also accused of impersonating one Stella Jones, a United States soldier serving in Afghanistan.
The defendants were also accused of allegedly taking proceeds from an unlawful act, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and Abang entered a not guilty plea for the company.
Earlier, Mr O.C. Ezeofor, counsel to Igwe, had asked the court to grant his client bail.
Ezeofor said that he had filed the bail application before his client was arraigned because the charge had already been served on the defendant.
Mr U. Agubam, counsel to Iwuoha, the 2nd defendant, prayed the court to allow him make an oral application for bail.
However, Mr E.O. Nwafor, counsel to Enyinnaya, who is the 3rd defendant, asked the court to order that she continue to enjoy the administrative bail that was already granted her by the EFCC.
He appealed that if the court was not inclined to make such an order, she should be remanded in EFCC custody rather than in prison.
This, he said, was to enable her take care of her baby.
The prosecution counsel, Mrs Elizabeth Alabi, opposed the bail application for Igwe, saying that it was an abuse of court process to apply for bail before arraignment.
Alabi said the case was criminal, adding that every criminal case commences at arraignment.
On the oral application by counsel to the 2nd defendant, she said that the prosecution was opposed to oral application and prayed the court to make an order for a written bail application.
Alabi earlier prayed the court to remand the defendants in EFCC custody and later changed the plea to prison custody.(NAN)
WS/AOS/OJO
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(Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Mufutau Ojo)