The Federal High Court in Lagos has consolidated the alleged $2million money laundering trial of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s lawyer, Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, with the alleged $150 million laundering case of his son-in-law, Abdullahi Babalele.

Both cases will now be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the same judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.

Uyiepken and his younger brother Erhunse were arraigned before a vacation judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, on August 14, on a three-count charge of conspiracy and laundering of $2million.

They pleaded not guilty.

Upon resumption from the court’s long vacation, the EFCC re-arraigned both men before Justice Chuka Obiozor, on the same charge.

Before their pleas could be taken, the defendants through their counsel, Ahmed Raji and Norrison Quakers, SANs, brought applications seeking consolidation of their charge with that of Babalele.

Babalele is standing trial before Justice Aneke for allegedly laundering $140, 000 in the build-up to the 2019 presidential election.

The Giwa-Osagies told Justice Obiozor that they had written a letter to the Federal High Court’s Chief Registrar for a consolidation of the charge with Babalele’s.

After taking their pleas, Justice Obiozor granted them bail and returned the case file to the court’s registry.

The Chief Registrar has now reassigned the case to Justice Aneke.

The Giwa-Osagies will now be arraigned – a third time – on January 14, 2020, before Justice Aneke.

The EFCC in a charge marked number FHC/L/283c/19, alleged that Uyiekpen and Erhunse on February 12, 2019, conspired and made cash payments totalling $2m without going through financial institutions.

Uyiekpen was alleged to have procured Erhunse to make the payment.

The offences, according to the commission, contravened Sections 18(c), 18(a), 1(a), 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and are punishable under Section 16, 16(2)(b)16(2)(b) of the same.

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