A Federal High court sitting in Kano has fixed November 19th, 20th, and 21st of November, 2018 for the commencement of trial into allegation of N950m money laundering involving former Kano state Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, Ambassador Aminu Wali and Mansur Ahmed.
The trio, were re-arraigned on Thursday before Justice A.L Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Kano for 6-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering respectively.
The re-arraignment of the defendants was sequel to the transfer of Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar to another division of federal high court. Shekarau, Waliand Mansur were first arraigned by Bage on May 24th, 2018.
The defendants allegedly collected the sum of N950,000,000, part of the $115,000,000 allegedly distributed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Allison Madueke for the purpose of influencing the outcome of the 2015 general elections.
One of the charge read that “You Ibrahim Shekarau, Aminu Bashir Wali on or about the 27th March, 2015 within the Kano Judicial division of the Federal High Court , retain, took possession and control of the cash sum of N950,000,000 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of an unlawful act of Deizani Allison Madueke to wit: gratification, commits an offence contrary to Section of 15 (1) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”
When the charge sheet was read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty to the 6-count charge.
Prosecution counsel Jonson Ojogbane requested a date for trial in view of the plea of the defendants.
Counsel for the defendants J.S Okutepa SAN pleaded with the court to allow the defendants to continue with the bail earlier granted them by the court.
In her ruling on the bail application, Justice Allagoa sustained the bail of the defendants and adjourned the case till November 19th, 20th and 21st for the commencement of trial.
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