Jun.24, 2010, 00:00:00

About a year after he regained his freedom, Akindele Ikumoluyi (aka Ile Eru), who  served a five-year jail term for drug trafficking, was yesterday ordered back to prison by a Federal High Court in Lagos. 

He was arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering.

Ikumoluyi was charged with his 80-year-old mother, Funke, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Ikumoluyi was convicted in 2008 by Justice Tijani Abubakar of the same court.

The court sentenced him to five years in prison.

The convict was freed earlier this year because his sentence began from when he was arrested in 2005.

His mother’s plea for ill- health was not taken yesterday.

Defence lawyer Wahad Shittu said the woman was too ill to stand trial.

Ruling on Ikumoluyi’s bail application, Justice Mohammed Liman granted him bail, but ordered that he be  remanded in prison custody untill he meets his bail condition.

The court admitted him to bail for N5 million and two sureties who must be individuals of means.

The court added that one of the sureties must have a land in Lagos.

Ikumoluyi and his mother are accused of conspiring to, and concealment of the proceeds from the trade in drugs by investing the proceeds in real estate.

They were said to have committed the offences between 1994 and 2005.

NDLEA identified houses the accused persons allegedly acquired with the proceeds as 6, Freeman Street, Lagos Island; 7, Ajoku Oduyebo Street, Sabo, Ikorodu; 20, Ikemu Street, 35/37 Akerele Street, and 11, Olaolude Street, Oworonsoki, all in Lagos.

The agency alleged that the accused persons bought the property on 35/37 Akerele Street in the name of a dead person identified as Peter Ikumoluyi.

Moving the bail application, Shittu told the court that Ikumoluyi was ready to undergo trial. 

He said it was traumatic for his client to stand trial with his mother.

Shittu  filed an application, seeking to quash the charge against Mrs. Ikumoluyi on the ground that she was too ill to stand trial.

The court adjourned till July 16 for hearing of the application.