A Rivers State House of Representatives member, Chinyere Igwe, who was arrested with $498,100 before the presidential and National Assembly elections, has been arraigned.
Today, his trial resumed in Court 4 of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State’s capital.
The charge sheet dated March 6, 2023, read, “That you Hon. Chinyere Igwe ‘m’ on the 24th day of February, 2023 at about 01:35hrs at No. 181 Aba Road, by GRA Junction, Port Harcourt within the Port Harcourt Magisterial District did accept cash payment of $498,000 USD which you which you have in your possession and did not make a report to the Central Bank of Nigeria and did not declare its transportation to the Nigerian Customs Service and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 1 (a), (1) (2) (3) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011 and punishable under Section 2 (5) of same Act.”
The defendant, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty to the police’s one count charge.
The prosecution team led the federal lawmaker, who appeared to be in high spirits, to court.
Judge Stephen Daylop-Pam presided over the court.
Igwe, who represents Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 2, was caught with 498,100 dollars during a stop and search operation on February 24, 2023, at about 2:45 a.m.
According to the police, the suspect was apprehended near the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with a list of recipients of the money.
