How Shehu Sani promised to connect me with CJN – Witness

Alhaji Sani Dauda, a prosecuting witness in the ongoing trial of the former senator representing Kaduna central, Shehu Sani has revealed how the latter allegedly convinced him about bribing the Chief Justice of Nigeria so as to get a favourable judgement in another case involving him.

Sani was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2019 over alleged extortion amounting to $25, 000.

• $24,000 bribery allegation: Shehu Sani speaks from EFCC custody
• http://Alleged N4m bribe: I don’t know Shehu Sani – CJN

Although the CJN had refuted the allegation that he demanded a bribe from the former senator, Dauda told the court that he spoke with a man believing him to be the CJN.

While testifying in court on Monday, Dauda, who spoke in Hausa language told the court that he was arrested in November 2019 over a matter he didn’t disclose.

He added that he got an assurance from Sani to get the CJN to intervene.

“He (Shehu Sani) called me on November 19, 2019, that he wanted to see me. I told him to speak on the phone.

“He said it was not a matter that could be discussed on the phone that he wanted to see me.

“I left that day, and I went straight to my house in Maitama, Abuja. He came that day to meet me in my house.

“He told me that he had met with CJN and discussed my matter with him.

“He said he would connect me with the CJN to talk to him on phone. I said I would not want to talk to him but I would like to go and see him.

“He said the CJN would not want me to come to his house because of security like DSS at his house. Then he made a call.

“He now handed the phone to me and said it was the CJN.

”I spoke to the person on the phone and the person told me that Sani spoke to him about my case and he has spoken to four judges that when my matter comes to them, they should inform him.

“Sani said that there are four judges that we should give N1m each but I told him that I was already in this predicament and could not give out money.

“He also told me that he was told that, my son-in-law, Abubakar also had a case at the EFCC and the prosecutor was asking for N1 million, a total of N5m and I told him I didn’t have money today and he should come back the next day.”

“I then called a Bureau De Change Operator, Abubakar to bring the money to me.”

The presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned till Tuesday for the continuation of the cross-examination of the witnesses.

Shehu Sani, had in a Whatsapp message sent to Daily Trust while in the custody of the EFCC in January 2020 stated  that the allegations against him were baseless and that the witness, Sani Dauda was sponsored to “tarnish his reputation and mute him.”