Mrs. Isabella Oshodin

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned Mrs. Isabella Oshodin before Justice Taiwo Taiwo, of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a 25-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N22,964,228,414.

Also standing trial for the same offence is Bob Oshodin Organisation Ltd.

Oshodin is alleged to have on 16 occasions, received the total sum of N2,366,000,000, in tranches, from theOffice of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under then NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

The anti gtmraft agency further told the court that the defendant on eight occasions, received from Dasuki’s ONSA sums totalling $57,217,301.15, into the Escrow accounts of Bob Oshodin Organisation Ltd.

Count two of the charges reads: “That you, Mrs. Isabela Mimie Oshodin, Bob Oshodin Organisation Ltd and Mr. Robert (Bob) Oshodin (still at large), on or about 22nd June, 2014, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, directly transferred the sum of $7,712,598, to one Portfolio Escrow Company with account number 3102004330, domiciled in California Republic Bank, United States of America, which sum you reasonably ought to have known to be proceed of an unlawful act of Sambo Dasuki (rtd), the then National Security Adviser to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Provision) Act, 2011as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to her.

In view of her plea, prosecuting counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib, prayed the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.

“I have noticed, my Lord, the second defendant is not represented. Notwithstanding, in view of the first defendant’s plea of not guilty, I will like to ask for a date for trial,” she said.

Counsel for the defendant, Osahor Odemodia, however informed the court of the bail application for his client, and urged the court to grant her bail on liberal terms, pending the commencement of trial.

But, Habib who opposed the application for bail, informed the court of a counter-affidavit filed on July 10, 2019. She urged the court not to grant her bail application, and instead, give the case accelerated hearing.

The trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, thereafter, adjourned to August 21, 2019 and ordered the defendant to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the ruling on the bail application.