The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday refused an application seeking joint trial for Abdullahi Babalele and Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, who are facing money laundering charges.
Babalele is son-in-law of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while Giwa-Osagie is one of Atiku’s lawyers.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alleges that the two men laundered money in the build-up to the 2019 general elections.
Babalele was accused of laundering $140,000, while Giwa-Osagie and his brother, Erhunse Giwa-Osagie, were accused of laundering $2 million.
The men were arraigned separately last August before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, who sat as a vacation judge.
Babalele’s case was later transferred to Justice C.J. Aneke, while the Giwa-Osagie brothers’ case was re-assigned to Justice Chuka Obiozor.
At the instance of the defence counsels, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court ordered the transfer of Babalele’s case to Justice Aneke.
They later prayed Justice Aneke to consolidate the two cases, so that the defendants could be jointly tried.
EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, made objections to both moves.
Justice Aneke, ruling on Monday, said that since there was no provision in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, empowering him to turn down a case assigned to him by the Chief Judge, he could not reject Babalele’s case.
The judge, however, said he could also not consolidate the two matters because there was no legal provision for the consolidation of criminal cases.
The cases were adjourned until April 2.
