Former Chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Barrister Tunde Ayeni, has been sent to Kuje Prison in Abuja on remand by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory following his arraignment on N8 billion money laundering charges.
He is to remain in prison until May 13, when his application for bail will be considered.
Ayeni, a lawyer of over 35 years’ call to the Bar, was remanded by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Monday when he was docked before him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The lawyer was put on trial by the anti-graft agency on 17 counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of about N8 billion.
However, upon the charges being read to him, Ayeni pleaded not guilty to all 17 counts.
Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, asked the court for a date for the commencement of trial.
He also urged the court to remand the defendant in custody pending the commencement of trial.
Counsel for Ayeni, Ahmed Raji, SAN, however, told the court that the defence filed a bail application on behalf of Ayeni and served it on the prosecution, but it was not ripe for hearing.
According to him, the charge was served on Ayeni by the EFCC last Friday, May 1, which was a public holiday.
He urged the court to grant a short adjournment for the bail application to be moved.
Raji informed the court that Ayeni is a lawyer of over 35 years’ practice.
He then appealed to the court to release the defendant to him (Raji) and Olalekan Ojo, SAN, assuring that they would present the defendant in court on the next adjourned date.
In a short ruling, the judge adjourned the case to May 13 for the hearing of the defendant’s bail application and ordered that Ayeni be remanded in Kuje Prison until that date.
