Court grants bail to ex-governor Shekarau, 2 others

The Federal High Court sitting in Kano has granted bail to former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering.

Counsel to the EFCC, Mr Johnson Ojoghame told the court that the defendants had between March 26 and 27, 2015 in Kano, conspired between themselves and received various sums of money without going through financial institutions.

He told the court that the money was issued out to the defendants by the Peoples Democratic Party and former petroleum minister Diezani Allison-Madueke.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act 2011 as amended and punishable under section 16 (2)(b)of the same Act and Section 15(1) of money laundering Act.

The trio had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Their counsel, Mr Ologunolisa Sam (SAN) made a written bail application in respect of the defendants under Section 163 of the Criminal Justice Act 2015.

He said: “The defendants were early in May 2016 invited by EFCC and at no time were they found wanting when they were granted bail.

“If granted bail, the defendants would not jump bail, nor commit any offence and would not tamper with police investigation.’’

The Judge, Justice Zainab Abubakar-Bage granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100 million each with two reliable sureties in like sum.

She said that the first surety should have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court while the second surety should not be below the rank of a director.

The judge ordered the defendants to surrender their International passport and two recent passport size photographs to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court.

The case has been adjourned to June 26, for trial.

Meanwhile, police operatives had to release teargas and fire warning shots into the air to ward off the crowd of supporters of the three defendants that thronged the court premises.