A former assistant General Manager of Fidelity Bank, Rowley Isioro, has opened his defence on allegations of laundering the sum of N377 million charged against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The former Manager is standing trial alongside his wife, Mrs. Ovuomarhoni Naomi Isioro, before a Lagos State High Court.
The defendants were arraigned on a seven count charge bordering on conspiracy, receiving fraudulently obtained property, transfer of criminal proceed to nominee and money laundering to the tune $975,424.
The couple were docked alongside alongside their companies, Multaid Plus Limited and Global Investment Network.
However, the case of the defence was opened after the prosecution team of the EFCC closed its case on November 2.
According to the EFCC prosecutor, Mohammed K. Bashir, the prosecution has concluded its case after calling 5 witnesses against the defendants.
Bashir said that the defendants allegedly received monies from illegal activities carried out by one Michael Uziewe (at large), a Nigerian who is based in the United States of America, with the aim of assisting him bring the proceeds into Nigeria.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants used their companies, with a corporate accounts domiciled in Fidelity bank where the second defendant, Rowley Isioro, was an Assistant General Manager to launder the above mentioned amount for Michael Uziewe.
The commission further alleged that the defendants, sometime in 2017 in Lagos, laundered an aggregate sum of $975,424 on behalf of Uziewe (at large) and Global Investment Network through their bank accounts in order to disguise the origin of the money which represents proceeds of illegal activities of Uziewe in the United States of America.”
The matter was adjourned till January 25th, 2021 for continuation of trial.
