A staff member of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Oseni Adeolu Olayinka, has been arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on charges of money laundering involving the fraudulent inclusion of his wife and son on the government payroll system.
An Executive Officer at the ministry, appeared before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, facing a three-count charge.
According to the statement issued on Friday by the Director of Public Enlightenment and Education and Spokesperson for the Commission, Demola Bakare, the ICPC alleged that the accused fraudulently added his wife, Mrs. Mngohol Christiana Agaku, and his son to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). This manipulation reportedly led to the illegal disbursement of millions of naira in salaries into their accounts.
“That you, Oseni Adeolu Olayinka, between January 2023 and April 2024, indirectly took possession of the sum of N2,843,524.41 through the Stanbic IBTC Bank account of your wife, which you ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act,” one of the charges stated.
Olayinka pleaded not guilty to all charges. His counsel, Paul Asimiakeokha, applied for bail on liberal terms, which the prosecution, represented by C.K. Igwedibia, did not oppose.
In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu granted the defendant bail in the sum of N5 million with a surety who must be a federal civil servant of at least Grade Level 12. “The surety must provide employment and promotion letters and own landed property in Abuja, which must be verified,” the judge ruled.
The case has been adjourned to April 29 for trial commencement.
