BALA,EX-FCT MINISTER'S SON DOCKED,REMANDED IN PRISON FOR ALLEGED N1.2BN FRAUD.{PHOTOS}.

                  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC,yesterday wednesday,February 1,2017 arraigned Shamsudeen Bala,son of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,Senator Bala Mohammed before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court,Abuja,on a 15-count charge of money laundering to the tunne of N1.2 billion.Bala is being charged along with four companies-Bird Trust Agro Allied Limited,Intertrans Global Logistic Ltd,Diakin Telecommunications Ltd and Bal-Vac Mining Nigeria Limited.
Bala and Diakin Telecommunications Ltd are also accused of making cash payment of the sum of N74,244,005 {seventy-four million,two hundred and forty-four thousand,five naira} to Abuja Investment Company Ltd without going through a Financial Institution.The offence is in breach of Section 1 of the Money Laundering {Prohibition} Act,2011 {as amended in 2012}.The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.Upon his plea,counsel to EFCC,Ben S. Ikani asked the court to fix a date for trial and for the remand of the accused in prison custody pending trial.However,Balas counsel.Chris Uche,SAN,told the court that he had a pending application dated and filed January 27,2017 praying for the release of the accused on bail.He said that aside the health challenges faced by the accused,the EFCC had earlier granted him administrative bail which he had not breached.He urged the court to admit him to bail on same conditions set by the EFCC assuring that,the accused would be available to stand his trial.Justice Dimgba adjourned ruling on the bail application to February 3 while fixing March 27 for commencement of trial.The judge also ordered the remand of the accused in Kuje prison custody pending ruling on his bail application.One more photo below.