EFCC to arraign Atiku’s son-in-law on money laundering charges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is ready to arraign Abdullahi Babalele, the son-in-law of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 2019 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar over money laundering charges.

According to Premium Times, the charge sheet filed on August 8 and signed by Oyedepo on behalf of EFCC stated that Balele committed the offence in February 2019.

In March, the EFCC arrested Balele and placed him on administrative bail while investigations continued.

On Thursday, August 9, 2019, he was rearrested and according to Premium Times, he would remain in the EFCC custody until his arraignment before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on August 14.

The charges against Mr Babalele reads:

Count 1: That you ABDULLAHI BABALELE on or about the 20th day of February 2019 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, procured Bashir Mohammed to make cash payment of the sum of $140,000. 00 (One Hundred and Forty Thousand United State Dollars) without going through financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

Count 2: That you ABDULLAHI BABALELE on or about the 20th day of February,2019 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, aided Bashir Mohammed to make cash payment of the sum of $140,000. 00 (One Hundred and Forty Thousand United State Dollars) without going through financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

The EFCC has also arrested Atiku’s lawyer, Uyi Giwa-Osagie over the same charges.

However, some figures in the opposition party, have accused the anti-graft agency of targeting Giwa-Osagie and Balele because of their closeness to Atiku, who is still challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the 2019 presidential elections in court.