Govt tenders $1.3m in court, cash recovered from retired Air Chief’s home

By Olalekan Awojodu

Abuja

The Federal government on Thursday tendered as exhibit the sum of $1.3 million before the Federal High Court, Abuja, being the sum recovered from the Abuja mansion of retired Air Commodore Umar Mohammed.

The foreign currency was tendered by the government at the resumed trial of the retired Air Chief and was admitted as exhibit after it was counted in the open courtroom with the aid of electronic counting machine. Commodore Mohammed is on trial for alleged fraud and money laundering charges brought against him by government.

The prosecution counsel Mr Labaran Magaji who tendered the cash as exhibit along with various other currencies, explained that they were recovered from the defendant’s possession.

However, the defence counsel Dr Hassan Liman SAN, thereafter cross examined the prosecution witness Mr Stephen Olatubosun through whom the exhibit was tendered.

The senior lawyer thereafter informed the court of his client’s intention to file a no case submission on the ground that prima facie case has not been established against him.

Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo after listened to parties in the matter ordered the Chief Registrar of the court to deposit the foreign currency with the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, pending conclusion of the trial.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to May 27, for adoption of final addresses, by the parties in the no case submission motion.

The retired Air Chief is facing three counts charge of alleged money laundering, illegal possession of firearms and classified documents without authority.

He was accused of receiving  $1.3 million cash from one Worldwide Consortium PTY Ltd in 2016, through his company Easyjet Airlines in violation of the Money Laundering Act 2011.