Yero
EFCC Re-Arraigns
Yero
EFCC Re-Arraigns Ex- Gov. Yero over PDP Campaign
Funds
…. As Union Chairman, Three Others Docked over N90 Million
Fraud:
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
hasre-arraigned the former governor of Kaduna State, Mukhtar
Ramalan Yero. Also re-arraigned with the ex governor were former
Minister of State, Nuhu Somo Waya; former Kaduna State PDP
Chairman, Abubakar Haruna Gaya and the former Secretary to the
State Government, Hamza Ishaq. They were arraigned before Justice
Z.B Abubakar of the Federal High Court Kaduna on an 8-count amended
charge bordering on conspiracy, bribery, money laundering and
criminal diversion of funds to the tune of N700million (seven
Hundred Million Naira) only.
Their prosecution began after investigations revealed that the
accused persons allegedly benefited in the $115million diverted by
former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison Madueke
which was shared to politicians and election officials in the 36
States of the federation to influence the result of the 2015
presidential election.
Investigations further revealed that Kaduna State benefitted
over N700million in two instalments. The money was received by the
trio of Waya, Gaya and Ishaq on behalf of the State for onward
delivery to INEC staff spread across the 23 Local Government Areas
of the State.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero
(whilst being the Executive Governor of Kaduna State), Nuhu Somo
Waya (whilst being a former Minister of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria), Ishaq Hamza (whilst being the Secretary to the Kaduna
State Government), and Abubakar Gaya Haruna (whilst being the
Chairman PDP Kaduna State Chapter), sometime in 2015 in Kaduna
within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court (Federal High
Court) did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a crime to wit:
indirectly taking possession of the of N700, 000, 000 (Seven
Hundred Million Naira) which you ought to have known forms part of
unlawful activity to wit: bribery and thereby committed an offence
contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act
2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the
Same Act”.
All defendants pleaded not guilty to all the eight count charge
read against them. Upon their pleas, counsel to the EFCC, Joshua
Saidi, prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of trial.
But Yunus Ustaz Usman, SAN, representing the defendants, appealed
that all defendants should be admitted to the existing bail granted
to them when they were first arraigned earlier in the year by the
Court.
The court ruled that since all defendants have already been
granted bail without any hitch, she would rely on the existing
conditions. She therefore ruled that the former bail conditions
remain valid and should stand.
In a related development, the Commission also re- arraigned one
Abdulrasheed Baba Ahmed before Justice Z.B Abubakar on a 2-count
charge of money laundering and retention of proceeds of alleged
criminal activity to the tune of N190, 444, 000 (One Hundred and
Ninety Million, Four Hundred and Forty Four thousand Naira).
The accused, who was Director, Finance and Administration,
Ministry of Justice, Kaduna State, is alleged to have in March
2015, received the said sum, being part of the funds released by
Diezani Allison-Madueke, a former Petroleum Resources minister to
influence the outcome of the 2015 election. He allegedly received
the money from the Ali Akilu Road branch of a new generation bank.
The money was purportedly meant to induce staff of INEC and Corps
members on election duties. In the course of investigation, the
accused person could not provide any evidence regarding how the
money was disbursed.
One of the counts read, “That you Raheed Baba Ahmed, the former
Director of Finance, Ministry of Justice, Kaduna Division of this
Honourable Court did directly take possession of the aggregate sum
of N 190,444,000.00 (One Hundred and Ninety Million, Four Hundred
and Forty Four Thousand Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to
have known, forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit:
bribery, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section
15(2) of the money laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 (as amended)
and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.
He however pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The re-arraignment of all above accused persons was as a result
of the transfer of Justice S.M Shuaibu to another jurisdiction.
Justice Abubakar however adjourned all the cases comprising that
of the Ex Governor and three others to 24th January, 2019 and that
of Abdulrasheed Baba Ahmed to 29th January, 2019 for commencement
of trial.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
Gombe office on Monday, November 26, 2018 arraigned the quartet of
Abdulrahaman Barau, Chagba Abayol, Muhammad B. Dikko and Mrs. Ruth
Magaji Shalli before Justice Hassan Dikko of Federal High Court,
Bauchi, Bauchi State on a seven count charge bordering on
Conspiracy, Misappropriation and Diversion of Funds.
Their arraignment followed a petition on 9th January, 2018 by G.
Hassan & Co; which was filed on behalf of Agriculture and Allied
Union of Nigeria, Bauchi State Council Executives, against Comr.
Barau former Chairman; Comr. Abayol, former Secretary and Mohammad
B. Dikko former Treasurer of the Union.
The petitionerr stated that in March 2009, Agriculture and
Allied Employee Union of Nigeria, Bauchi state Council under the
leadership of Comrade Umar Idris as the Chairman, took a loan of
N90, 000,000.00 (Ninety Million Naira) only from the defunct
Equatorial Trust Bank (now Sterling Bank) for the purpose of
purchasing 955 units of motorcycles for onward issuance to union
members and civil servants in Bauchi State as loan.
Kwajas Dimperl Global Concept Ltd located, in Maiduguri, Borno
State was awarded the contract of purchasing the motorcycles which
was supplied in 2009. The mode of repayment, as agreed, was that
after direct debit from the beneficiaries’ salaries through
Accountant General’s office, the money was to be remitted to
Equatorial Trust Bank (now Sterling Bank) and not any member of the
Union. The loan was inherited by the administration of the three
executives (suspects) mentioned above that came to office in 2012
and it was alleged that the three of them went against the
repayment procedure. They opened an account with Gary Microfinance
Bank in Bauchi where the sum of N36,000,000.00 collected from the
State Treasury in cheques were deposited and same was used for
their personal purposes.
Count One read “That you, Abdulrahaman Barau, Chagba Abayol,
Mohammad B. Dikko, Ruth Magaji Shalli and Kwajas Dimperl Global
Concepts Ltd. Sometimes between March, 2013 and November 2016 at
Bauchi, Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable
Court, the Federal High Court of Nigeria did agree amongst
yourselves to commit an illegal Act to wit Conspiracy to obtain
monies at the sum of N34,779,059.01 (Thirty Four Million, Seven
Hundred And Seventy Nine Thousand And Fifty Nine Naira, One Kobo)
from Accountant General’s office Bauchi, Bauchi State by false
pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8 (a)
of Advance Fee Fraud and other related offence Act 2006 and
punishable under section 1(1) of the same Act.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In view of that, the prosecution counsel, Barr. Steve Okemini
asked for a date for trial and prayed the court to remand the in
prison custody.
The defence counsel to the 1st to 3rd defendants, S. I. Abubakar
moved for bail application so also was the 4th and 5th defence
counsel, Nathal Umide. But the prosecution counsel moved his
counter affidavit in opposition.
The matter was adjourned till 28th November, 2018 for ruling on
bail applications and 17th December, 2018 for commencement of
trial.
Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity