The Economic and Financial Crimes commission, has rearraigned Samusideen Babafemi Sarumi, owner of 606 Autos Limited, 606 Music Limited and Splash Off Entertainment Limited.
He was rearraigned on Thursday in Lagos before Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting at Ikoyi, on a three-count charge bordering on felony to commit money laundering and money laundering to the tune of N209million.
The defendant who was earlier arraigned by the EFCC, November 4, 2019 was alleged to have been involved in computer related fraud across the world.
He was also alleged to have taken possession of eight vehicles valued at N135 million and a boat valued at N104 million, which were reasonably suspected to be part of proceeds of organized crimes across the world.
Also, he allegedly received several millions of naira from illegal transactions with his Nigerian Bank accounts from his cronies abroad.
According to the EFCC, the offences contravened Sections 18(a) and 15(2)(d)(6) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (amended).
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to him.
One of the charges reads: “That you Samusideen Babafemi Sarumi and Saeed Hammoud Hussein (now at large) sometime between 2016 to 2018 in Lagos within the Jurisdiction of this honourable Court committed a felony to wit: money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Another charge reads: “That you Samusideen Babafemi Sarumi and Saeed Hammoud Hussein (now at large) sometime between 2016 to 2018 in Lagos within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court took possession of a boat valued at N104, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred and Four Million Naira Only) which you reasonably ought to have known that the boat forms part of the proceeds of an organized criminal group and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) and (6) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Upon his plea, prosecution counsel, M.K. Hussain asked the court for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant with the Nigerian Correctional Services , NCS.
The counsel to the defendant, Muiz Banire (SAN), informed the court that a bail application has been filed and served on the prosecution; he therefore urged the court to admit his client to bail in liberal terms and conditions.
The prosecution counsel admitted being served the bail application, adding that, granting the defendant bail was at the discretion of the court.
Justice Obiozor granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum.
Justice Obiozor also ordered that the surety must be a landed property owner in Lagos State and must provide a proof of evidence, three years tax payment, and that the defendant must deposit his international passport with the Court Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) who will also conduct the verification of the bail terms.
Justice Obiozor adjorned the case till January 27 and February 4, 6, 10 and 11, 2020 for commencement of trial and also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the correctional Services pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Samusideen Babafemi Sarumi
Samusideen Babafemi Sarumi was first arraigned on November 4, 2019 before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, for laundering N207 million for some fraud syndicate whose name were on the list released by the United States of America’s Federal Bereau of Investigation (FBI).
