Justice
Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, will this
afternoon, decide whether or not the former governor of Jigawa State
governor, Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, who have
been in prison custody for the past five days, should be released on
bail.
Justice
Evelyn Anyadike of the Kano Division of the high court had on July 9,
remanded the ex-governor and his sons in prison after they were
arraigned over a 28-count criminal charge that was entered against them
by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
They are facing trial alongside one Wada Abubakar over alleged money laundering and illegal diversion of public funds to the tune of N1.35billion.
Lamido was equally alleged to have collected kickbacks from contractors in the state, with the funds allegedly paid into accounts that were managed by his sons.
While adjourning their trial till September 28, Justice Anyadike who declined to accede to oral bail request by the accused persons, however said they could approach the vacation judge with their formal bail application.
Consequently, the prison authorities, on Monday, flew all the accused persons to Abuja, even as they appeared before Justice Kolawole today.
Meanwhile, begging the Abuja court through their lawyer Mr. Joe Agi, SAN, Lamido and his sons, today, vowed that they would be available to face their trial if released.
Their application was however opposed by the EFCC which through its lawyer Mr. Chile Okoroma, alleged that Lamido and his sons had earlier threatened one of its lead witnesses, one Mr. Bartholomew Dalington, a Manager in one of the companies allegedly owned by the former governor.
EFCC further alleged that one of Lamido’s sons was earlier convicted over another charge that bothered on money laundering.
He was allegedly apprehended at the airport with the sum of $50, 000, even though he only declared the sum of $10, 000.
After listening to arguments from both sides, Justice Kolawole stood down the matter to write his ruling.
Justice
Evelyn Anyadike of the Kano Division of the high court had on July 9,
remanded the ex-governor and his sons in prison after they were
arraigned over a 28-count criminal charge that was entered against them
by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.They are facing trial alongside one Wada Abubakar over alleged money laundering and illegal diversion of public funds to the tune of N1.35billion.
Lamido was equally alleged to have collected kickbacks from contractors in the state, with the funds allegedly paid into accounts that were managed by his sons.
While adjourning their trial till September 28, Justice Anyadike who declined to accede to oral bail request by the accused persons, however said they could approach the vacation judge with their formal bail application.
Consequently, the prison authorities, on Monday, flew all the accused persons to Abuja, even as they appeared before Justice Kolawole today.
Meanwhile, begging the Abuja court through their lawyer Mr. Joe Agi, SAN, Lamido and his sons, today, vowed that they would be available to face their trial if released.
Their application was however opposed by the EFCC which through its lawyer Mr. Chile Okoroma, alleged that Lamido and his sons had earlier threatened one of its lead witnesses, one Mr. Bartholomew Dalington, a Manager in one of the companies allegedly owned by the former governor.
EFCC further alleged that one of Lamido’s sons was earlier convicted over another charge that bothered on money laundering.
He was allegedly apprehended at the airport with the sum of $50, 000, even though he only declared the sum of $10, 000.
After listening to arguments from both sides, Justice Kolawole stood down the matter to write his ruling.
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