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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested and sent to prison Senator representing Delta North in the National Assembly, Peter Nwaoboshi, who has been on the run seven months after the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, convicted and sentenced him to seven years in prison for money laundering.
A press statement by EFCC Head, Media & Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, in Abuja, said the lawmaker, who was intercepted by operatives of the commission at a hospital in Lagos on Monday, February 6, was finally remanded in Ikoyi Custodial Centre, Wednesday, to commence his seven-year-prison term.
The Court of Appeal had in a July 1, 2022 judgement convicted the lawmaker on a two-count charge of money laundering and also ordered the winding up of two of his companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, in line with the provision of Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021, and their property forfeited to the federal government.
The spokesperson said the lawmaker, who was not present in court at the time of the ruling, had gone underground and refused to present himself to the Nigerian Correctional Service.
He said the convict had proceeded to the Supreme Court, praying the apex court to not only set aside the judgment of the Appeal Court but grant him bail, pending the determination of his appeal.
However, in a unanimous decision on January 27, 2023, the apex court dismissed the application.
Uwujaren said in the lead judgement by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court wondered why Nwaoboshi, who refused to submit himself to the law, would seek the indulgence of the law.
Justice Tijani Abubakar, in his contribution, upbraided the Appellant for filing the bail application while on the run.
“We must make it very, very clear to all Nigerians that nobody is above the law. The government and the governed are subject to the rule of law. And, we must ensure that there is respect for the rule of law,” he stated.
The spokesperson noted that the Court of Appeal’s judgement that convicted Nwaoboshi followed an appeal by the EFCC against the judgment of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court in Lagos, which had on June 18, 2021, discharged and acquitted the lawmaker and his companies.
“Nwaoboshi and his companies illegally acquired a property named Guinea House, Marine Road, in Apapa, Lagos, for N805 million. Part of the money paid for the property was transferred by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd. The funds are believed to be proceeds of illicit activities of the convict,” Uwujaren added.
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