Yero was re-arraigned on Monday before Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on an eight count amended charges bordering on money laundering.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned a former Governor of Kaduna State, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero over his alleged involvement in the N700million Diezani Alison-Madueke money laundering.
Yero was re-arraigned on Monday before Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on an eight count amended charges bordering on money laundering.
EFCC stated that the re- arraignment was sequel to the transfer of the former trial judge, Justice M.G Umar, from the state.
Yero is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside Nuhu Somo Wya (a former minister), Ishaq Hamsa (a former Secretary to Kaduna State Government) and Abubakar Gaiya Haruna (a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state) for their alleged involvement in the receipt and disbursement of the sum of N700 million paid to them by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
One of the amended counts against Yero and others reads, “That you, Muktar Ramalan Yero (while being the Executive Governor of Kaduna State), Nuhu Somo Wya (whilst being a former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) and Abubakar Gaiya Haruna (whilst being the chairman people’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kaduna State Chapter, sometimes in 2015 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court (Federal High Court) did conspire among yourselves to commit a felony to wit.
“Indirectly taking possession of the sum of N700,000,000, 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.”
At the Monday sitting, the prosecution counsel, Nasiru Salele, told the Court that the case was for re-arraignment of the defendants and prayed the court to ask them to take their pleas.
However, when the charges were read to the defendants, they all pleaded “not guilty.”
Upon their pleas, the defence counsel, Yunus Ustaz Usman, prayed the court to extend to the defendants, the terms of the bail earlier granted them by the former judge.
The prosecution counsel, Nasiru Salele, appearing with M.E Eimonye and P.C Onyeneho, did not object to the application.
In his ruling, Justice Umar granted bail to the defendants on the same terms earlier offered them by the court and adjourned the matter till 16th, 17th and 18th January 2023, for trial.