A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday rejected the prayer of a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to reverse the guilty plea entered by four companies who are standing trial with him for an alleged fraud of $15.5m.
The presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, in his ruling, described Dudafa’s application as an abuse of court processes and therefore dismissed it.
Dudafa was arraigned for money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on September 15, 2016.
Arraigned along with him were a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs; and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku.
Also joined as defendants in the charge were four companies – Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development & Investment Co. Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.
While Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the charges, the four companies, which were joined as the fourth to seventh defendants, however, pleaded guilty.
The companies admitted that they conspired with Dudafa and others to launder a sum of $15, 591,700.
The money, which the EFCC had since frozen in four Skye Bank accounts opened in the name of the companies, is, however, being claimed by ex-President Jonathan’s wife, Patience.
The guilty plea taken by the four companies was entered on their behalf by four individuals, who were registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission as directors in the companies.
One Friday Davies pleaded guilty on behalf of the fourth defendant company; Agbo Baro, for the fifth defendant company; Bioghowri Frederick, for the sixth defendant company and Taiwo Ebenezer, for the seventh defendant company.
$15m fraud: Court affirms guilty plea of Dudafa’s co-defendants
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