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Tag: N950m fraud

  • N950m fraud: Shekarau’s case for Oct 18

    A Federal High Court in Kano State has adjourned hearing of the N950 million fraud suit against former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau; former Minister of Foreign Affairs Aminu Wali and Director-General, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation Mansur Ahmed, till October 18.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused the three of laundering N950 million meant for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign in 2005. Each person allegedly got N25 million.

    Prosecuting Counsel Jonson Ojogbane said the EFCC applied for the transfer of the case, through the Chief Justice of the Federal High Court in Abuja, to another judicial division due to security threats.

    Ojogbone, therefore, sought for adjournment to enable them conclude the process of the transfer.

    He said: “It is practically impossible for us to continue  to prosecute this case here due to the difficult situation we found ourselves.

    “Consequently, we wrote a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja on June 1, seeking for his intervention to transfer this case to another division which is safer to all concerned.

    “We also wrote an application, dated June 25, for the adjournment of this case to enable us complete the transfer process.

    “Section 98 (1)(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, states that the Chief Judge has the power to transfer a case from one court to another. We therefore apply that this case be adjourned.”

    Shekarau’s lawyer Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), who opposed the transfer application, insisted it was a sign that the prosecution was not prepared to continue with the suit.

    Okutepa, who argued that the prosecution has no excuse to apply for such on the basis of security threat (with all the security apparatus at his disposal), averred that the prosecution was not mindful of the financial expenses and other implications to his clients.

    He said: “We are worried that the prosecution who has all the apparatus at his disposal will entertain such fears and apply for a transfer. It is a sign that the prosecution is not ready.”

    Counsel to second (Aminu Wali) and third (Mansur Ahmad) defendants, Sam Ologunorisa (SAN) also challenged the prosecution’s application for transfer. He alerted that “there is the likelihood that our clients and over 50 witnesses maybe kidnapped on their way to Abuja”.

    Justice Zainab Abubakar Kaji also insisted that the prosecution counsel could not request for such application without specifically mentioning a date that will be convenient for both parties.

    She said: “Applications, such as this, are meant for the court to stay action until the Chief Judge responds on whether the case will continue in Kano or not.

    She then adjourned till October 18.

  • N950m fraud: Court adjourns Shekarau, others case to October 18

    A Federal high court sitting in Kano Tuesday adjourned the N950million fraud suit, involving the former governor of Kano state Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, former Minister of Foreign Affairs ambassador Aminu Wali and Director General Goodluck Jonathan Campaign organization, Engr. Mansur Ahmed till October 18, 2018.

    The three suspects were accused of criminal offence of money laundering to the tune N950million by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in which each of them allegedly collected N25million to facilitate former president Jonathan’s 2015 presidential campaign.

    In his submission, the prosecuting counsel Barr. Jonson Ojogbane informed the court that EFCC had already applied for the transfer of the matter, through the Chief Justice of the Federal high court in Abuja, from Kano to another judicial division due to security threat. Barr. Ojogbone thereby sought for adjournment of the suit to enable them conclude the process of the transfer, expediently waiting for the lordship approval.

    According to the EFCC lawyer “ I wish to inform the court that, after we left here on the last day, due to the difficult situation we find ourselves and subsequent even same day at our Kano office, it is practically impossible for us to continue to prosecute this case in this judicial division. Consequently, we wrote a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal high court in Abuja on the 1st June, 2018, seeking for his gracious intervention, to transfer this case from this division to another division which is saver to all concern.

    Read Also: N950m fraud: Shekarau, two others quizzed

    “ We also further wrote an application, dated 25th June, 2018, for the adjournment of this case to enable us complete the process of the transfer. Section 98 sub-section (1)(2)

    Of the administration of criminal justice act.2015, where its stated clear that, the Chief Judge has the power to transfer a case from one court to another, we wish to apply that this case is adjourned to another.

    Interjected midway, the presiding Judge, Justice Zainab Abubakar Kaji insisted that the prosecution counsel cannot request for such application for adjournment without specifically mentioning a date that will be convenient to both parties.

    On his part, counsel to the first defendant (Ibrahim Shekarau) Jibrin S. Okutepa (SAN), who vehemently opposed the application on transfer of the case from Kano insisted that the transfer was a sign that the prosecution was not prepared to continue with the suit.

    Okutepa who argued that the prosecution has not excuse to apply for such application on the basis of security threat with all the security apparatus at his disposal, also averred that the prosecution was not mindful of financial expenses and other implications that might cause his clients.

    According to Okutepa “ We are in court this morning (Tuesday), we walk to the court in peace, we are worried that the prosecution who has all the apparatus at his disposal will entertain such fears and went ahead to apply for the transfer of this case. It is a sign that the prosecution are not ready”.

    Counsel to second (Aminu Wali) and third ( Mansur Ahmad) defendants, Sam T. Ologunorisa (SAN) who also challenged the prosecution’s application for transfer however raised alarm that from intelligence report that ”there is the likelihood that our clients and over 50 witnesses maybe kidnapped on their way to Abuja.

    In her ruling the presiding Judge, Justice Zainab Abukakar said “application such as this, are meant for the court to stay action, until the Chief Judge response or accede to the request, on whether the case will continue in Kano or not.

    The Judge thereby adjourned the case to 18th of October, 2018, pending the request before the Chief Judge.

  • ‘N950m fraud’: Shekarau, others granted bail as police disperse supporters with tear-gas, bullets

    THERE was confusion yesterday around the Kano Federal High Court on Court Road after the former Minister of Education Ibrahim Shekarau, ex- Director-General of former President Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation Ambassador Aminu Wali and Munsur Ahmad were granted bail.

    The trio were arraigned before Justice Zainab Abubakar by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a six-count charge, bordering on alleged conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950 million.

    But trouble started when Shekarau’s supporters attempted to forcefully enter into the court premises. But the police stopped them by shooting live bullets sporadically into the air to scare them.

    The security operatives later extended their attacks by shooting canisters of tear-gas into the court premises.

    This forced lawyers, reporters and court officials to scamper for safety.

    The security men then went after the protesters, using the butts of their guns as well as flogging them.

    The three accused persons were arraigned on six-count charges, bordering on money laundering, an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of Money Laundering Prohibition Act of 2011 as amended.

    The accused pleaded not guilty to the six charges.

    Counsel to the EFCC J.A. Ojogbane opposed the defence counsel’s bail application.

    Ojogbane insisted that the affidavit submitted for bail application was against Section 155 of the Evidence Act.

    He noted that there was no bail application before the court.

    Counsel to the accused Sam Ologunorisa, SAN, who did not oppose the prosecution counsel’s argument, however, sought the leave of the court for bail application.

    The defence counsel, who relied on Section 163 of the Administrative of Criminal Justice Act in a 10-paragraph affidavit, insisted that the offence is bailable.

    After listening to the arguments of both counsels, Justice Abubakar stood down the proceedings for about 40 minutes.

    The judge, after the recess, granted the accused bail on six conditions.

    She said they should be remanded in EFCC custody pending when they will fulfill the bail conditions.

    The conditions include N100 million naira each and two sureties with landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

    The landed property must have a C-of-O and must be verified by the Ministry of Land and deposited with the court registrar. The second surety must be a civil servant not below the rank of a director.

    The judge added that the accused should submit their international passports with the registrar and two copies of recent passport-sized photographs.

    The case has been adjourned to June 26.

     

     

     

  • N950m fraud: Shekarau, two others to be arraigned today

    EX-Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau was, yesterday, detained at the Kano office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Detained with the former minister of Education is ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Aminu Wali, and Mansur Ahmad, for alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering.

    They  were quizzed for over an hour and released on Tuesday.

    Yesterday, the EFCC detained them for possible arraignment today at the Federal High Court in Kano.

    Shekarau is accused of collecting N25 million from the N950 million logistics money for 2015 elections.

  • N950m fraud: Shekarau, two others quizzed

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday invited ex-Minister of Education Ibrahim Shekarau; former Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Aminu Wali, and Mansur Ahmad, for alleged money laundering.

    Shekarau and the two were quizzed for over an hour for allegedly laundering N950 million, funds earmarked for 2015 election.

    Shekarau’s lawyer Abdul Adamu Fage said his client and others were at the EFCC to honour an invitation in preparation for their arraignment tomorrow.

    He said: “Shekarau is being investigated alongside Mansur Ahmad and Aminu Wali on a six-count charge of laundering.

    “Shekarau is accused of collecting N25 million from the N950 million. We are here to honour their invitation after we received their letter about a week ago, demanding that our clients be available today for further questioning in preparation for Thursday’s arraignment.”

    But a statement by Shekarau’s media aide, Sule Ya’u Sule said: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), despite lack of evidence, is insisting on prosecuting the former minister of Education for the N25 million 2015 election logistics fund allegedly given to him.

    “Since 2016, when the issue came up, Shekarau was invited by the EFCC to explain the amount given to him with other stakeholders in Kano, but he denied ever receiving such amount, and even challenged EFCC to produce anyone who gave him the money, or any evidence to prove that he actually collected the money.

    “Based on this, the former minister was asked to go. However, surprisingly, for reasons best known to EFCC, we received communication from the agency that the former minister is to be arraigned at a Federal High Court in Kano on Thursday over the same charges.”