Money laundering: Shasore arraigned in Abuja amid cases in Lagos

Olasupo Shasore (SAN), a former Lagos State attorney general, has been charged with 14 counts of money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday.

Shasore and his company, Middlesex Investments Ltd, were charged again in front of Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant in the charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/386/22 that was submitted on August 17 by the attorney for the EFCC. The first and second defendants are Bala Sanga, Middlesex Investments Ltd., and Shasore.

Shasore is alleged to be a director and signatory to the business’ 0005659394 Guaranty Trust Bank account.

However, the former commissioner entered a not guilty plea to the accusations.

The judge mandated that Shasore continue to be subject to the conditions of the administrative bail that the EFCC had previously granted him.

Justice Ekwo consequently adjourned the matter until March 13, March 14, March 15, March 16 and March 17 for trial.

He directed the anti-graft agency’s lawyer and counsel to the defendants, Olawale Akoni, to put their houses in order ahead of the trial.

The EFCC, in count one, alleged that between September 3 and September 11, 2014, the firm and Mr Shasore failed to report in writing to the agency a single lodgement transaction of the sum of N60 million from Mandivera Global Resources Limited into the Guaranty Trust Bank Pic account number 0005659394 of MIddlesex Investments Limited.

Also in count five, the EFCC alleged that between August 26 and September 3, 2019, the defendants failed to report in writing to the agency a single transfer transaction of the sum of $30,000 from the GTB account number 0005659435 of Middlesex Investments Ltd to the account of Shasore.

The agency said this should be in compliance with Section 10(1)b of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 10(3) of the same act.

The suspects are further accused of failure to comply with the requirements of submitting to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments, a declaration of the activities of the company as specified under Section 5(1)(a)(ii) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b)of the same act, among others.

The EFCC had on October 20, arraigned Shasore before the Ikeja Special Offences Court.

He was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering.

The former attorney general of Lagos State was brought before Justice Mojisola Dada barely 24 hours after he was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos on a four-count charge of money laundering.

Justice Dada consequently granted him bail and adjourned the trial until December 6.