The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Mr. Haruna Jauro, over alleged money laundering valued at N156 million at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
This was disclosed by the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday evening. Mr. Jauro was arraigned in court alongside Thlumbau Enterprises Ltd and Dauda Bawa on 19 counts of money laundering.
With the retirement of Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, who was in charge of the case in 2016, the EFCC leveled new charges against the defendants before Justice Obiozor.
The EFCC claims that Jauro and the Defendants diverted the sum of N156.4million belonging to the agency for personal use in January 2014, citing provisions of sections 15(3) and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012.
The Defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges labeled against them by the EFCC.
EFCC’s counsel Mr. U.U Buhari, petitioned the court for a trial date and urged that the defendants remain in correctional service.
Mr Olalekan Ojo, Counsel to the defendants petitioned that his clients continue the earlier bail agreements granted by retired Justice Olatoregun.
Justice Obiozor, adjourned the cases to March 17, 2021 for trial and also granted the defendants bail.
In 2016, the defendants were accused of defrauding NIMASA N304.1 million and were arraigned before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi. In 2019, Jauro ended his defense of the money laundering trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
