The Federal High Court Abuja has ordered the ex-Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and his co-defendents to open a defence following a suit filed him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
EFCC is prosecuting Lamido alongside two of his sons, Aminu and Mustapha on 37 amended charges, including N712 million naira money-laundering.
Other defendants include Aminu Abubakar, a business associate to the Lamidos and four companies.
The former governor had filed a no-case submission, after the EFCC closed its case, stating that the evidence provided by the prosecution did not disclose any case against him.
However, ruling on the no-case submission, Justice Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu dismissed his claim, ordering him to open his defence on November 8.
Part of the charges includes “That you Alhaji Sule Lamido (while being the Governor of Jigawa State, Nigeria), on or about 15th of December,2008 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in your account in the name of Bamaina Holdings (also referred to as Bamaina Holding Limited) domiciled at Unity Bank Plc. Kano, converted the sum of N14,850,000.00 (Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) being the value of Intercontinental Bank Plc. (now Access Bank Plc) cheque no. 00000025 paid by Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Nigeria Limited which represented the proceeds of your illegal act to wit: using your position as a public officer for gratification by purportedly obtaining contracts for companies in which you have interest from Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Nigeria Limited which was awarded contracts by Jigawa State Government with the aim of concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act.”
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