The former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central senatorial district at the upper chamber of the 8th National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has been arraigned before an Abuja Federal High Court on Monday, January 27.
Sani, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for alleged name-dropping and obtaining by trick, was also granted bail by the presiding judge, Justice I. E. Ekwo, following a bail application by his counsel, A.A. Ibrahim, SAN.
Sani was accused of obtaining by trick the sum of $25,000 by trick from Alhaji Sani Dauda, (owner of ASD Motors), whom he promised he would stave off a criminal investigations of him by the EFCC.
The defendant is facing a two-count criminal charge preferred againat him by the Commission.
One of the charges reads, “That you, Shehu Sani, on or about the 29th of November, 2019 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of USD 10,000.00 (Ten Thousand United States of America Dollars) cash from Alhaji Sani Dauda (ASD) under the false pretence that the money was meant to bribe the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, lbrahim Magu, to arrest and prosecute one Abubakar Musa, which representation you knew to be false, contrary to and punishable under Section 1(1) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006.”
Pleading not guilty to the charges, the prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed, quickly asked the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.
However, the defence counsel, A.A Ibrahim SAN, informed the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client, which the prosecution counsel said he only received
“about seven minutes ago,” and was going to study it and “revert.”
Justice Ekwo thereafter stepped down the case till 12 noon to enable the prosecution counsel study the application.
Upon resumption of proceedings, the defence counsel urged the court to grant his client’s bail application to enable him take care of his family and business.
The presiding judge, Justice Ekwo, despite opposition to the bail application from the prosecution counsel, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10 million and a surety in like sum, who must be a responsible citizen and owner of landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, and must be verified by the court registrar.
Justice Ekwo also demanded that the defendant deposited his international passport with the court and must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.
He therefore adjourned the case until February 24, 25, and 26 for accelerated trial.
