Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State and four others will on Thursday, July 02, 2020, appear before Justice M. G. Umar of the Federal High Court over charges bordering on a N700 million money laundry case filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Court had in its last sitting in Benin City, on Thursday, June 18, 2020 validated the corruption charges against the defendants, adjourning the case to July 02, 2020 for further hearing.
A statement on the EFCC official website reads: “The presiding Judge, Justice M. G. Umar ruled that the charges filed by the Commission against the Defendants were not defective. Justice Umar further adjourned the case to July 2.
The four other defendants in the suit include former Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih; former Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, and two others.
The anti-graft agency in Suit No. FHC/BE21C/ 2016 had filed eight count charges against the accused persons bordering on alleged illegal receipt of public funds to the tune of N700 million for the purpose of the 2015 general election, contrary to the provisions of the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
The EFCC further accused the defendants of conspiring among themselves to commit the offence in March, 2015, alleging that they took possession and control of the funds without any contract award.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Wednesday announced the provisional list of 14 candidates whose names have been successfully submitted by their respective political parties to vie for the September 19 election in Edo State, after successfully concluding the primaries.
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, 58, and rival, Governor Godwin Obaseki, of the PDP, tops the list with 12 others.
APC has till August to substitute candidates names should the Court bar Ize-Iyamu from contesting.