THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, arraigned the aide to a former Bayelsa State governor, Embelakpo Apere, and his wife, Beauty, for alleged money laundering at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa.
Apere, who was a former Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals to former governor Seriake Dickson, and his wife were arraigned by the EFCC on a seven-count charge of money laundering.
The couple was arraigned for the offence which was allegedly committed in 2015.
The defendant’s plea was not taken in court following the opposition to his arraignment by his counsel, Andrew Arthur.
However, the wife pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Arthur argued that Apere had been discharged by the court and could not be tried a second time for the same offence.
The prosecution counsel, M.T. Iko, countered the argument, insisting that the accused was not discharged on merit.
Justice I.H. Ndahen adjourned the case till October 19 for ruling on the arguments of the two counsels.
The commission alleged that the second defendant received various amounts in naira, dollars, and pounds sterling between May 2015 and April 27, 2016.
The EFCC claimed that the funds were proceeds of unlawful acts and punishable under the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.
The commission also charged Apere for forgery of medical and birth certificates which emanated from the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.
The judge granted her bail in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum.
He ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Yenagoa Correctional Service pending when she fulfills her bail conditions.
