Shinkafi and others arraigned
The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission today May 28, 2018 arraigned the former governor of Zamfara
State, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi alongside three others before Justice
Fatima Murtala of the Federal High Court sitting in Zamfara on a 5-count
charge of Conspiracy and Money Laundering.
Others charged alongside Shinkafi are the former Minister of State,
Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, Aminu Ahmed Nahuche and Ibrahim
Malaha.
The defendants allegedly conspired and received a cash payment of
N450,000,000 (Four Hundred and Fifty Million Naira ) part of the
$115,000,000 (One Hundred and Fifteen Million Dollars) that was
allegedly distributed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources,
Deizani Allison-Madueke for the purpose of influencing the outcome of
the 2015 general election.
One of the charge read that “You Ambassador Bashir Yuguda,
Aminu Ahmed Nahuche and Ibrahim Malaha on or about 27th, March 2018, at
Gusau, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired among
yourselves to receive cash payment of the sum of N450, 000,000 (Four
Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only) from Odia Akpotune without
transacting through a financial institution and thereby committed an
offence contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition
Act and punishable under 16(2)(b) of the same Act”.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was
read to them. Counsel to the prosecution Johnson Ojogbane requested the
court for a trial date in view of the plea of the defendants.
The defence counsel J. C Shaka moved a motion for bail asking the
court to admit the defendants to bail pending the conclusion of the
matter. Subsequently, Ojogbane informed the court that the prosecution
had filed counter affidavit praying the court to refuse bail.
Justice Murtala, after listening to the arguments between the
parties, granted the defendants bail in the N5,000,000 (Five Million
Naira Only) each and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must
be resident within the jurisdiction of the court while the other must
own a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. Both
sureties shall be public or civil service not below grade level 16. The
court also rules that, the defendants deposit their recent passport
photographs and international passports with the registrar.
The case has been adjourned to 27 and 28 June, 2018 for the
commencement of trial while the defendants are remanded in prison
custody pending the perfection of their bail terms.