EKO NEWS
‘I Was Subjected To 12 Years Of Unwarranted Hardship For An Unfounded Petition’ – Ikuforiji
Ikuforiji has recounted how a faceless petition impacted his life for 12 years, causing him to “suffer unnecessarily”.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has lamented his 12-year trial on money laundering charges.
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The former lawmaker spoke at a Press Conference on Wednesday while reacting to his acquittal.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday acquitted Ikuforiji of a 54-count money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
The case, which involved multiple trials and a Supreme Court intervention, lasted over 12 years.
The former Lagos Speaker was first arraigned in March 2012 alongside his former Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi.
Twelve years later, the court absolved both men of all allegations.
‘A Harrowing Experience’
Speaking on the tortious journey from his Ikeja GRA residence, Ikuforiji described it as a harrowing experience.
The former Lagos lawmaker lamented that he was a victim of a faceless petition, describing the process as unfair.
He, however, thanked God that he had finally been vindicated, saying that was he was full of joy and praise to God.
“I am a very happy man, my joy knows no bound almost 48 hours now since the judgement was delivered. I am extremely grateful to God,” he said.
“To have gone through this for 12 and half years, it was a harrowing experience. I am a believer, I accept what Allah decreed.”
Furthermore, Ikuforiji recounted how the faceless accuser alleged that the House under his leadership “arm-twisted the Lagos State Government to pay N500m.”
The petitioner also accused him accused of embezzling N7 billion and making away with N500 million for 14 months.
However, all of these accusations were dismissed by the court for lack of evidence.
How It Started
The former Lagos speaker said he got a call from the Director of EFCC to report at his office, but told him that he was going for Umrah and that he would honour the invitation on returning from his journey.
He said when he honoured the invitation after returning from Umrah on a Friday morning, he was made to spend the spent that weekend in EFCC’s cell.
When shown the petition, Ikuforiji said he immediately faulted it due to fact that “the person that wrote it was faceless, no telephone number and the person wrote that I embezzled N7 billion.”
Ikuforiju, however, said he told the EFFC not to bother because the buck stopped at his table when the Anti-graft Agency inquired of other members of the House, who could be invited for interrogation over the allegation.
He further recalled that the EFCC officer even told him that the commission found nothing on enquiry from him.
The former legislator added that the investigation team leader confessed to him that since he joined the anti-corruption agency investigating government activities, the books of the Lagos House of Assembly were the neatest.
Ikuforiji said that led him to ask the officer what next since they saw nothing, to which made him reveal to him that what they noticed was that the transaction of the House was so cash-based.
Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji
‘I Was Never Accused of Embezzlement’
Ikuforiji lamented that some media houses deliberately blew the matter out of context by saying he embezzled money.
However, none of the counts brought by the EFCC accused him of embezzlement.
“Today, we are grateful to God and at the end of it all, we have been vindicated. The honest thing is that in the Quran, even in the dark there is always an element of light. It was a painful and harrowing experience but today, I am also a barrister,” he said.
“This case was what pushed me towards studying law. My family suffered a great deal.
“Members of the House during the period I was their speaker stood by me. Most of them followed me to court and ensured that there was no sitting on some of the court days, I am grateful to them.”
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Ikuforiji added that June 24, 2024, is now his second birthday because that was the day he achieved independence and smelt freedom.
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