The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned four persons before the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, over alleged money laundering involving $5.29m.
In a post obtained from EFCC’s X handle on Thursday, the defendants, Bamidele Ayodele Emmanuel, Abdullah Oriyomi, Garuba Fathiat Funmilayo and Gbenro Victor Ademola, were arraigned separately before Justice F. N. Ogazi on two-count charges bordering on money laundering, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
They all pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
One of the charges against Emmanuel alleged that he retained $826,691 in his Wema Bank account between January 1 and 31, 2025, despite allegedly knowing that the funds were proceeds of an unlawful act.
The charge read in part: “That you, Bamidele Ayodele Emmanuel, between 1 and 31st January, 2025, in Lagos and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly retained the sum of $826,691 in your account, No. 0126008755 domiciled in Wema Bank, which you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
