CHAIRMAN, Bi-Courtney Limited, Dr Wale Babalakin, on Monday, made an appearance at the Ikoyi office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but was not detained by the operatives who attended to him.
He is on administrative bail pending his planned arraignment on Thursday before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos High Court.
The EFCC had filed a 27-count charge against Babalakin, Alex Okoh and three companies: Stabilini Vision Limited, Bi-countney Limited and Renix Nigeria Limited, over an alleged N2.9 billion money laundering case involving the jailed former Delta State governor, James Ibori.
Babalakin’s spokesperson, Dipo Kehinde, confirmed the appearance of his boss at the commission’s office in Ikoyi, but denied the reports making the rounds that he was quizzed and detained.
According to him “the visit to the commission’s office is just a routine. Since he was granted administrative bail, he had been honouring the understanding that he should be appearing and signing a register at the Ikoyi office every two days.
“He was there last Wednesday and Friday. He could not meet the Sunday appointment as he was in Abuja and asked to appear today (Monday) which was granted him by the commission and that is why he was there today. He came from Abuja to honour the appointment and as I speak with you, he is on his way back to Abuja.
“He even sought the understanding of the commission to be appearing in the Abuja office but they insisted that he should be making the every other day appearance in Lagos and he has been shuttling between Abuja and Lagos without defaulting. “
It was gathered that Babalakin spent about three hours at the commission before he eventually left.
Babalakin is expected to return to the commission tomorrow before his arraignment on Thursday, but a commission source disclosed that he might not be detained since he was on administrative bail.
