Senator Rochas Okorocha has been brought at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of money laundering and related offences.
Okorocha, who represents Imo West senatorial district in the National Assembly, was arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo on Monday morning.
The former governor is being tried on a 17-count charge to the tune of N2.9 billion filed against him by the anti-graft agency.
After the charges were read to him, he pleaded not guilty. The second defendant in the suit, Anyim Chinenye, as well as the five companies also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Recall that Okorocha was forcefully arrested in his Abuja home last Tuesday for allegedly refusing to honour EFCC’s invitation.
Today’s arraignment comes three days after he lost the bid to be admitted on bail, pending the determination of a suit he had instituted against the Federal Government.
Okorocha had predicated his bail request on the ground that he was a presidential aspirant, claiming that his political ambition would be jeopardised unless he was granted bail.
But Justice Ekwo, in a brief ruling on Okorocha’s bail application.
The judge ordered Okorocha to put the Federal Government on notice to come and defend his detention.
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