SAN FRANCISCO, May 31, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Thursday ordered that a former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, be remanded in prison till June 6.
Justice Mohammed Shuaibu gave the remand order on Thursday, following the arraignment of the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Yero was arraigned alongside former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Kaduna, Abubakar Gaiya Haruna, a former Minister of State for Power, Nuhu Wya and former Secretary to the State Government, Hamza Ishaq.
They were charged with four counts bordering on money laundering, criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of public fund, and breach of trust but, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Counsel to Mr Yero, Yunus Ustaz, subsequently made an oral application for the bail of his client or worse still be remanded in EFCC custody.
His oral application was, however, opposed by the EFCC counsel Joshua Saidi who insisted that the four accused persons be taken to prison, as the Commission does not have enough detention facility to accommodate them.
Justice Mohammed rejected the oral application for bail put forward by Yero’s counsel and also denied application that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody.
Giving in his ruling after listening to both arguments, Justice Shuaibu agreed with the submission of the prosecuting counsel and, therefore, asked the defence counsel to file a written application for bail.
He also ordered that the four accused persons be remanded in prison custody till the next sitting and adjourned the case till June 6, for ruling on the bail application.
THEWILL recalls that the EFCC had invited Mr Yero, Mr Ishaq and Mr Gaya on Friday last week over the alleged mismanagement of N750 million campaign funds.
They were asked to explain the various roles they played in the distribution of the campaign fund meant for the state in the buildup to the 2015 general elections.
The anti-graft agency later released them after hours of interrogation but the three men, as well as the former minister, were detained at the EFCC zonal office in Kaduna on Wednesday.
About the Author
