Money Laundering Allegations: EFCC Arraigns Ex-Lagos AG, Supo Shasore

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) today arraigned a former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Olasupo Shasore (SAN) over an allegation of money laundering totalling more than 200,000 dollars.

The senior advocate of Nigeria pleaded not guilty to the four count-charge at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos presided over by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.

The EFCC legal team is led by Bala Sanga, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, while four Senior Advocates of Nigeria appeared for the defendant – the four defence counsel are Yemi Candide-Johnson (SAN), Dr Muiz Banire (SAN), Segun Ajibola (SAN) and Chijioke Okoli (SAN).

After the arraignment, the defendant through his counsel then applied for bail on liberal terms or self-recognizance, arguing that Mr Shasore (SAN) isn’t a flight risk and that the alleged offences are bailable.

The EFCC, on its part, didn’t object to the bail application.

Mr Shasore was alleged to have induced one Olufolakemi Adelore, in accepting cash payment of the sum of $100, 000. 00, without going through a financial institution.

He was also alleged to have made the cash payment to Ms Adelore through two persons, Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin.

The charge sheet also stated that the senior lawyer made a cash payment of the sum of $100, 000.00 to one Ikechukwu Oguine without going through a financial institution.

Mr Shasore allegedly made questionable payments of $100,000 each to Ms Adelore and Mr Oguine, who served as lawyers for the Nigerian Petroleum Ministry and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, at the time.

According to the anti-graft agency, the said offences involving Mr Shasore contravened sections 78(c); 1(a) and 16(1)(d) and 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(6) and 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who was the Lagos State Attorney-General and Justice Commissioner, during former governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola’s administration, was said to have committed the alleged offences on or about 18 November 2014.

The charges are linked with the botched 2010 gas processing deal between Nigeria and a British Virgin Island firm, Process and Industrial Development (P&ID).

In his ruling, Justice Aneke granted the defendant bail in the sum of 50 million naira and he’s to provide a surety in like sum.

The defendant’s surety must also be a serving Director or Permanent Secretary at the Lagos State civil service. The defendant was ordered to submit his travelling passport to the registrar of the court. The court also granted the request of the defence counsel that the defendant be handed over to his four leading senior counsel, who must guarantee his presence at the next adjourned date, which is fixed for 24 November 2022.