The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to refuse an application by four companies praying to reverse their guilty plea to laundering of $15,591,700.
The companies are Pluto Properties and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.
The companies are praying for an order setting aside their conviction by Justice Babs Kuewumi on November 2, 2016 after they pleaded guilty through their representatives.
According to them, their trial and conviction were done “in gross violation of their right to fair hearing.”
The companies, in the application filed on their behalf by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said their conviction was a miscarriage of justice.
In its counter-affidavit signed by an investigating officer, Musbhau Yahaya, the EFCC said the application was an abuse of court process and that the judge cannot be asked to overrule himself.
EFCC, in the counter-affidavit, alleged that a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex- President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, allegedly got part of the money from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.
EFCC said Dasuki withdrew the money from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and “handed it” over to Dudafa.
The Commission said Dudafa laundered the money through the companies.
He is currently being tried along with a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku. They pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges.
But, the four companies charged along with them pleaded guilty and were convicted.
Wife of former President Jonathan, Dame Patience, in a separate suit, is laying claims to the money.
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