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Standing Trial For 'Collecting N950m From Diezani', Ex-Kano Gov Shekarau Gets N100m Bail

EFCC accused the three of collecting the sum form Madueke as part of the $115,000,000 allegedly distributed to influence the outcome of the 2015 general election in favour of Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan.

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The Federal High Court in Kano has granted bail in the sum of N100million to a former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, who is on trial for allegedly benefiting N950 million from funds reportedly shared by a former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to different politicians and civil servants in the buildup to the 2015 election.

At the hearing of the matter on Thursday, Justice Zainab Abubakar, the presiding judge, granted bail to the ex-governor and two others — a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Bashir Wali and Mansur Ahmed.

The defendants are to provide two sureties each, one of whom shall be a civil servant in either federal or state service not below the rank of Director, and the other an owner of a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

The sureties must swear an affidavit of means while the Certificate of Occupancy in respect of the landed property shall be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court, the court ruled. 

The court also ordered the defendants to submit their international passports to Deputy Chief Registrar of the Kano Federal High Court.

The former governor, alongside the minister and Ahmed, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a six-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering.

EFCC accused the three of collecting the sum form Madueke as part of the $115,000,000 allegedly distributed to influence the outcome of the 2015 general election in favour of Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan.

They also violated the Money Laundering Prohibition Act because the said sum did not pass through any financial institution, EFCC alleged.

Shekarau and Wali were said to have taken possession of N950 million “on or about the 27th March, 2015”, which they ought to have known was a proceed of unlawful activities.

The anti-graft commission said the offence contravened the provisions of Section of 15 (1) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act — a violation to which the defendants pleaded not guilty.

The matter was subsequently adjourned till June 26, 2018, for the commencement of trial.