A Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria, has adjourned to June 19, 2023, for the arraignment of directors in five companies for money laundering and breach of public procurement law in relation to a multi-billion naira contract with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Among those arraigned are the Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmed Salihijo, and his company, Velocity Nigeria Limited.
The four other companies are Winslow Logistics, Equal Logistics, Sahams Crystal Investment, and Antaser Nigeria Limited.
The judge, Justice James Omotoso, fixed the date after listening to both counsels.
The landmark case was instituted by Donnington Limited against the CEO and the four companies for their non-declaration of the activities of their companies as specified under the Money Laundering Prohibition Act of 2011 and punishable under the same act.
Donnington believes that it will step into the shoes of Nigeria’s Attorney General in instituting the matter due to the company’s noncompliance with Nigerian laws.
According to the company, “Our country cannot condone contraventions of the Money Laundering Act and non-compliance with statutory provisions by company directors chasing a government contract.”
Counsel to Donnington Limited, Mr. Bala Sanga, while speaking in an interview with journalists, said he filed a criminal charge against the five companies and revealed that “the companies broke the provisions of the law”.
