November 22, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, re-arraigned a former governor of Kaduna State, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and other top ex-government officials in the state, for money laundering.
Among those re-arraigned were Nuhu Somo Wya (a former minister), Ishaq Hamsa, a former Secretary to the Kaduna State Government and Abubakar Gaiya Haruna, a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kaduna.
They were re-arraigned before Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court, sitting in Kaduna, on an eight-count amended charge bordering on money laundering.
Yero and others were alleged to have received and disbursed the sum of N700 million.
The said sum was allegedly paid to them by Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
The defendants were re-arraigned due to the transfer of the former trial judge, Justice M.G Umar, from the state.
One of the amended counts 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 N700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira), 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.”
Another count reads: “That you Mukhtar Ramalan Yero (whilst being the Executive Governor of Kaduna state), Nuhu Somo Wya (whilst being a former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), Ishaq Hamza (whilst being the secretary to the Kaduna state government), 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 this Honourable Court (Federal High Court) did indirectly take possession of the aggregate sum of N700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira), which you reasonably ought to have known forms parts of the proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: bribery and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
The defendants all pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges when the charges were read.
Following their pleas, the defence counsel, Yunus Ustaz Usman, urged 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.
Justice Umar granted bail to the defendants on the same terms earlier offered them by the court.
The case was adjourned till 16th, 17th and 18th January, 2023, for trial.
