The Federal High Court sitting in Kano has granted bail to former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering.
Shekarau together with former External Affairs Minister Aminu Bashir Wali and one Mansur Ahmad are facing a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950 million.
Counsel to the EFCC, Mr Johnson Ojoghame, told the court that the defendants had between March 26 and 27, 2015 in Kano, conspired between themselves and received various sums of money without going through financial institutions.
He told the court that the money was issued out to the defendants by the Peoples Democratic Party and former Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act 2011 as amended and punishable under section 16 (2)(b)of the same Act and Section 15(1) of money laundering Act.
The trio had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Their counsel, Mr Ologunolisa Sam (SAN), made a written bail application in respect of the defendants under Section 163 of the Criminal Justice Act 2015.
He said: “The defendants were early in May 2016 invited by EFCC and at no time were they found wanting when they were granted bail.
“If granted bail, the defendants would not jump bail, nor commit any offence and would not tamper with police investigation.’’
The Judge, Justice Zainab Abubakar-Bage, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100 million each with two reliable sureties in like sum.
She said that the first surety should have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court while the second surety should not be below the rank of a director.
The judge ordered the defendants to surrender their International passport and two recent passport size photographs to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court.
The case has been adjourned to June 26, for trial.
Meanwhile, police operatives had to release teargas and fire warning shots into the air to ward off the crowd of supporters of the three defendants that thronged the court premises.
In a related development, Justice Daniel Longji of Plateau High Court, Jos, on Thursday, granted bail to the immediate past governor of Plateau and Senator representing Plateau North, Jonah Jang.
In his ruling, Justice Longji said the prosecution’s submission that Jang would jump bail and interfere with investigations was a mere speculation and without proof.
He said he would not act on speculation to deny bail to the defendant, as he admitted Jang to N100 million bail and two sureties in like sum.
Longji also granted bail to Pam Yusuf, a cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, standing trial alongside Jang, in the sum of N50 million and two sureties in like sum.
The judge said that in Jang’s case, one of the sureties must be a first class traditional ruler and the second a civil servant of not less than GL 17, and both must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.
He ordered that in Yusuf’s case, one of the sureties must be a permanent secretary with the state government, adding that the two must also submit their international passports to the court.
He adjourned the matter until July 17, July 18 and July 19 for definite and accelerated hearing.
EFCC had on May 7 preferred a 12-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and misappropriation on Jang.
Jang is alleged to have misappropriated over N6 billion, two months to the end of his tenure as governor of Plateau in 2015.
According to the charges, the former governor also embezzled over N4 billion from the state coffers through Pam Yusuf, who was a cashier in the office of the Secretary to the State Government.
Yusuf, who is a co-defendant in the suit against Jang, is also facing another case of allegedly enriching himself to the tune of N11 million.
