By Ayo Ayodele
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has arraigned the Finance Director of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Joshua Kadmi Luka, alongside a retired Assistant Director from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Oseni Yekinni Adeniyi, on multiple charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of over ₦100 million.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) brought the duo before Justice Mohammed Umar on Tuesday, on a five-count amended charge. While Luka remains in active service, Adeniyi is said to have retired from public service.
According to the charge sheet, the offences were allegedly committed between April and September 2019, during which the accused officials fraudulently diverted public funds earmarked for the audit of fixed assets and donor-funded projects in the Ministry of Agriculture.
One of the counts alleges that the defendants illegally removed ₦80.8 million from government accounts and transferred it to a bureau de change operator, Specific Farms Limited, in exchange for foreign currency—without carrying out the mandated audits. Another count accuses them of falsely claiming ₦11.8 million for audits they never conducted, and subsequently converting the sum for personal use.
At the arraignment, ICPC’s counsel, Michael Adesola, informed the court that the defendants were being re-arraigned on an amended charge. Both defendants—represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Johnson Usman (for Luka) and Emmanuel Otinya (for Adeniyi)—pleaded not guilty.
Adesola requested that the court remand the accused in prison custody and fix a date for trial commencement. However, both defence counsels moved bail applications, which were not opposed by the prosecution, provided bail conditions guaranteed the defendants’ availability for trial.
In his ruling, Justice Umar granted the defendants bail on self-recognition, noting that they had earlier been released on administrative bail without violating its terms. The judge adjourned the matter till November 24, 2025, for trial.