Taiye Agbaje
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday adjourned the scheduled arraignment of Mr Jimoh Yisawu, former Managing Director, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until July 20.
The case, which was on Friday’s cause list before Justice Inyang Ekwo, could not proceed due to the judge’s absence.
Justice Ekwo was said to be on another official engagement.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yisawu is being prosecuted by the EFCC on allegations bordering on money laundering offence when he served as the MD of the refinery and former public worker with Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL).
NAN recalls that the anti-graft agency had earlier, on Wednesday, arraigned Mr Ahmed Dikko, ex-MD of Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd (PHRC), also on alleged money laundering offences.
Dikko, who was arraigned before Justice Ekwo on a 12-count charge, pleaded not guilty.
The judge adjourned Dikko’s commencement of trial until Oct. 12.
Meanwhile, the EFCC, in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/361/2026, preferred against Yisawu, the former MD of Warri Refining Ltd was alleged to have laundered public funds and used part of the money to purchase treasury bills for himself.
The charge, dated and filed on June 22 by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, has eight counts with Yisawu as sole defendant.
Count one alleged that Yisawu, between October 2023 and May 2025 in Abuja, indirectly converted the aggregate sum of $789, 950 US dollars through Samaila Bala which amount did not form part of his known lawful earning as a former public officer with NNPCL, formerly Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the money, being proceeds of unlawful activity.
The offence is contrary to Section 18(2) (b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In count two, Yisawu was alleged to have, between October 2023 and May 2025 in Abuja, made various cash payments in excess of N5 million or its equivalent amounting in the aggregate to the sum of $789, 950 to Samaila Bala without going through financial institution.
Count three accused Yisawu of indirectly converting through Rasheed Olaitan Yusuf of Rasheedat Anike Global Ventures the aggregate sum of $122, 600, between February 2024 and March 2025 in Lagos, which did not form part of your known lawful earning as a former public officer.
Count five accused the defendant of using the sum of N25, 563,000 received into his Zenith Bank Plc account number: 1003198602 and Access Bank Plc account number: 0001283432 from Jkpeez Impex Co., a contractor with subsidiary of NNPC now NNPCL, when he reasonably ought to have known that the said sum constituted proceed of unlawful activity.
In count six, Yisawu was alleged to have, on or about the Feb. 21 2024 in Lagos, indirectly transferred the sum of N65, 860, 000.00 to Cordros Securities Limited for the purchase of treasury bills for himself when he reasonably ought to have known that the said sum constituted proceed of unlawful activity.
According to the count, you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, among other counts. NAN
