Corruption: Lagos Speaker, Obasa’s trouble soars as court orders seizure of funds linked to him
A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) temporary forfeiture of funds linked to Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The EFCC in a motion dated August 12, 2020 and marked FHC/L/CS/1069/2020, asked the court to issue an order directing that the funds in three bank accounts be forfeited on the interim.
According to the anti-graft agency, the three bank accounts are “being investigated for the offences of conspiracy, diversion of funds, abuse of office and money laundering.”
While one of the accounts (001852963) is a domiciliary account, the other two (001852956 and 5002349821) are naira current and savings accounts, respectively.
After hearing the application filed by S. Sulieman, counsel to the EFCC, the court ruled in favour of the commission on September 15, 2020.
The DEFENDER had Thursday broken the news that the Lagos State Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, was being quizzed by in Abuja by the anti-corruption organisation and that he was being interogated.
Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC Spokesperson, confirmed the development.
“He responded to an invite from the commission this morning,” Uwujaren confirmed.
An unidentified lady, who was said to have acted as personal assistant to the speaker, was also questioned by officials of the anti-graft agency.
In June, Mohammed Rabo, Lagos zonal head of the EFCC, said the anti-graft agency would give the petition against Obasa the attention it deserves.
The Lagos speaker was accused of embezzling public funds and abusing his office.