Abdullahi Babalele, who is a son in-law to former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, was on Wednesday (today) arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Babalele was brought before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, Nigeria over alleged involvement in money laundering.
Atiku’s son-in-law was particularly arraigned on a 2 count charge of alleged money laundering.
He however pleaded not guilty to the charge as filed against him by the anti-graft agency.
But consequent upon the prayer by Babalele’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the judge directed that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the hearing of his bail application, tomorrow, Thursday.
In the charge, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo said Babalele committed the offence in February, 2019.
The charge read;
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 a 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.”
