By John Ikani
The Senator for Delta North, Peter Nwaoboshi, has finally been taken into custody after months on the run.
Nwaoboshi was last year, convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison for money laundering by the Court of Appeal in Lagos.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nwaoboshi was caught by their operatives at a hospital in Lagos on Monday and has now been remanded in Ikoyi Custodial Centre to start serving his sentence.
Recall that the Court of Appeal’s verdict on July 1, 2022, found the Senator guilty of two counts of money laundering and sentenced him to serve time in prison.
In addition, the court mandated the dissolution of his companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, in accordance with Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021.
However, Nwaoboshi refused to surrender to the Nigerian Correctional Service and went into hiding.
He then appealed to the Supreme Court to set aside the judgement and grant him bail, but his application was dismissed on January 27, 2023.
The justices emphasized that nobody is above the law and that respect for the rule of law must be maintained.
Nwaoboshi and his companies acquired the property Guinea House in Apapa, Lagos, for N805 million, with part of the payment made by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd.
The funds are believed to have been obtained through illicit activities.
One of the charges against Nwaoboshi states: “Between May and June 2014, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, you and Golden Touch Construction Projects Limited acquired the property known as Guinea House, Marina Road, Apapa, Lagos for N805 million, when you ought to have known that N322 million of the purchase price transferred by Suiming Electricals Limited was from the proceeds of an unlawful activity of fraud, contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act of 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section (15)(3) of the same Act.”
