Adeyemi Ikuforiji, a former speaker of the Lagos Assembly, testified before the Federal High Court in Lagos that he did not, contrary to what the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed, launder N338.8 million when he was in office.
Ikuforiji asserted that the accusation brought against him was politically motivated in his “no case” argument before Justice Muhammad Lima.
According to his testimony, the EFCC initially accused people of fraud and financial misappropriation, but eventually changed its focus to money laundering.
“It is a pity that I am standing trial today based on a faceless petition that has no name or address of the writer, who alleged that I committed fraud or misappropriated the sum of over N7billion,” the defendant said.
Ikuforiji said that as a three-term Speaker, if he indeed committed such infraction, his case would not have gone directly to the EFCC for trial, rather members of the House would have first impeached him before handing him over to a law enforcement agency
Denying the allegation of money laundering, Ikuforiji said as head of the legislative arm of government, his role in any financial issue was to give final approval to àny memo put before him after the Office of the Clerk and that of the Finance Department had done their bit.
“I didn’t handle cash or disbursement of funds, it was the duty of the Office of the Clerk and the Finance Department to do that,” he said.
When asked if the 2nd defendant, Oyebode Atoyebi, who was his personal assistant, collected cash on his behalf, Ikuforiji replied: “Atoyebi collected money or cash for the Office of the Speaker, who at that time had over 100 staff, and definitely not for him in person. Atoyebi can collect money for the running of the office of the Speaker and allowances of other Staff”.
A former Deputy Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Ibisola Olawoyin Ogayemi, and a former banker from First Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Kayode Motunrayo, also testified.
The court adjourned till June 1 and 2 for continuation of trial.
Ikuforiji is standing trial alongside his former Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi on a 54-count charge bordering on the offence.