A federal high court in Lagos state, has fixed October 20 for the arraignment of a former attorney-general and commissioner for justice of the state,
A federal high court in Lagos state, has fixed October 20 for the arraignment of a former attorney-general and commissioner for justice of the state, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), over money laundering charges.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a four-count charge of money laundering against Shasore, accusing him of accepting cash payment of $100,000, without going through a financial institution.
Bala Sanga, a lawyer with the EFCC, signed the four-count charge filed before a federal high court in the state on August 18.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you, Olasupo Shasore (SAN) on or about the 18th day of November 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court induced Olufolakemi Adelore to commit an offence, to wit accepting cash payment of the sum of $100,000.00 (one hundred thousand united states dollars) without going through a financial institution which such exceeded the amount authorised by law, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 78(c) of the money laundering (Prohibition) act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 16(6) of the same act.”
Count two reads, “That you, Olasupo Shasore (SAN) on or about the 18th day of November 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, in a transaction without going through a financial institution, made cash payment of the sum of $100,000.00 (one hundred thousand United States dollars) to Olufolakemi Adelore through Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin, which sum exceeded the amount permitted by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 1(a) and 16(1)(d) the money laundering (prohibition) act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 16(2)(b) of the same ct.”
Count three reads, “That you, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), on or about the 18th November, 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, induced one Ikechukwu Oguine, to commit an offence, to wit: accepting case payment of the sum of $100,000.00 (one hundred thousand United States dollars) without going through a financial institution, which such amount exceeded the amount permitted by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(c) of the noney laundering act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) Of the same act.”
Count four reads, “That you, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), on or about the 18th day of November 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without going through a financial institution and made cash payment of the sum of $100,000.00 (one hundred thousand United State dollars) to one Ikechukwu Oguine which sum exceeded the amount permitted by law and you thereby committed an offence contrary sections 1(a) and 16(1),(d) of the money laundering (prohibition act, as amended) and punishable under section 16 (2)(b) of the same act.”
Recall that Shasore was invited by the anti-graft commission in January 2022, to answer questions on his involvement in the Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) case.
Shasore, who was Lagos attorney-general from 2007 to 2011, had represented Nigeria on the P&ID case.
The P&ID had won a $9.6 billion judgment against the federal government in a British court.
The company claimed it entered a contract to build a gas processing plant in Calabar, Cross River state, adding that the deal collapsed because the federal government did not fulfil its end of the bargain.
Shasore’s invitation by the EFCC came months after he had spoken of the role he played in representing Nigeria on the P&ID matter.
Prior to his speaking on his involvement in the case, the federal government had told a UK court that the former attorney-general colluded with P&ID to avert justice in the controversial gas supply purchasing agreement (GSPA) contract.
