Car dealer allegedly laundering money for Nigerians on FBI list arraigned

The Economic and Financial Crimes commission, Lagos Office on Thursday re-arraigned Samusideen Babafemi Sarumi, owner of 606 Autos Limited, 606 Music Limited and Splash Off Entertainment Limited, before Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a three-count charge bordering on felony to commit money laundering and money laundering to the tune of N209 million.
The defendant, who was earlier arraigned by the EFCC on November 4, 2019, was alleged to have been involved in computer-based fraud across the world.
Sarumi was also alleged to have taken possession of eight vehicles valued at N135 million and a boat valued at N104 million, which were reasonably suspected to be part of proceeds of organized crime.
Also, he allegedly received several millions of naira through his Nigerian Bank accounts from illegal transactions with cronies abroad.
The alleged offences contravened Sections 18(a) and 15(2)(d)(6) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering  (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (amended).
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.
One of the charges reads: “That you Samusideen Babafemi Sarumi and Saeed Hammoud Hussein (now at large) sometimes between 2016 to 2018 in Lagos within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court committed a felony to wit: money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Another charge reads: “That you Samusideen Babafemi Sarumi and Saeed Hammoud Hussein (now at large) sometimes between 2016 to 2018 in Lagos within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court took possession of a boat valued at N104, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred and Four Million Naira Only) which you reasonably ought to have known that the boat forms part of the proceeds of an organized criminal group and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) and (6) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Upon his plea, prosecution counsel, M.K. Hussain, asked the court for a trial date and an order to remand the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Services custody.
The defence counsel, Muiz Banire (SAN), informed the court that a bail application had been filed and served on the prosecution.
Banire therefore urged the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms.
Justice Obiozor granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum.
He also ordered that the surety must be a landed property owner in Lagos State and must provide proof of three years tax payment, and that the defendant must deposit his international passport with the Court’s Deputy Chief Registrar, who will also conduct the verification of the bail terms.
Justice Obiozor adjourned the case till January 27 and February 4, 6, 10 and 11, 2020 for commencement of trial and also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Correctional Service Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Sarumi was first arraigned on November 4, 2019 before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos for laundering millions of Naira for members of a fraud syndicate whose names appeared on the list released by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.