A Federal High Court is to hear bail application on July 16 in case of alleged money laundering against officials of Port-Harcourt Club, 1928.
The application which was originally scheduled for Monday, July 12, was shifted to July 16 as the prosecuting counsel needed to respond to application filed for defendants.
The defendants were Chief Diamond Tobin West, Chief Morrison Ifeanyi Asimole, Christian Kelechukwu Okoli, Tonye Azike and Telema Osazuwa, who were alleged to have directly and indirectly taken possession of money totalling about ten million (N10m) which formed part of proceeds of unlawful act while acting as officers of Port-Harcourt Club, 1928 and allegedly committed offence contrary to the Money Laundering Act.
The defendants took their plea before presiding judge of Federal High Court in Port-Harcourt during the first hearing.
As eighteen-count charges were read to them they had pleaded not guilty to the charges of offences allegedly committed between 2017 and 2020.
The first defendant was Chied Diamond Tobin West who also represented the second defendant Afro Rivers Nigeria Limited.
The third defendant was Chief Morrison Ifeanyi Asimole while fourth and fifth defendants were Telema Osazuwa and Christian Kelechukwu Okoli and the sixth was Tonye Azike.
The judge had drawn attention to fourth defendant’s name and known from defendant her name was Telema Osazuwa not Telema Osazuma as was read in the charges.
As a result, her charges were read again to her and she pleaded not guilty.
All defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They were remanded in custody of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following judge’s order that they be so remanded while awaiting hearing of bail application on July 12.
On Monday, the defendants were taken back to EFCC custody following the shift of hearing date to Friday July 16.
