The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned the senator representing Delta North in the National Assembly, Peter Nwaoboshi, for alleged fraud of N322m.
Nwaoboshi, an ally of a convicted former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The lawmaker was arraigned on two counts alongside two firms – Golden Touch Construction Project Limited and Suiming Electricals Limited.
The charges border on conspiracy and money laundering.
The EFCC, in the charges, claimed that Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Limited purchased a property known as Guinea House, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos for N805m between May and June 2014.
The anti-graft agency claimed that N322m out of the N805m, which Nwaoboshi and the firm paid for the property, was part of proceeds of “an unlawful act, to wit: fraud.”
The EFCC alleged that the N322m was transferred to the vendor of the property on the orders of Suiming Electricals Limited.
Suiming Electricals Limited was accused of aiding Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Limited to commit money laundering on or about May 14, 2014.
The prosecution said the defendants acted contrary to sections 18(a) and15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and are liable to punishment under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
But upon their arraignment before Justice Mohammed Idris on Wednesday, the defendants pleaded not guilty.