A Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday,, granted bail to Senator Shehu Sani, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for alleged name-dropping and obtaining a total 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 who represented Kaduna Central District in the immediate past 8th Senate is facing a two-count criminal charge by the Commission.
Details of the court proceedings by the EFCC, in a statement by its spokesmen, Mr. Tony Orilade, said 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.”
He pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed to ask the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.
The defence counsel, A.A Ibrahim SAN, however, 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.” Presiding Justice I. O. Ekwo stepped down the case till 12 noon to enable 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.
Though prosecution counsel opposed the bail application, Justice Ekwo 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.
The judge 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 adjourned the case until February 24, 25, and 26 for make for accelerated trial.
Meantime, Justice A.I. Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gwagwalada, Abuja on Monday, adjourned hearing on the trial of former attorney-general and minister of Justice, Muhammed Bello Adoke and others to Thursday, January 30, 2020 for ruling on their bail applications.
Adoke, (first defendant), along with six others were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Thursday, January 23, 2020 before Justice Kutigi on amended 42-count charges, to which they pleaded not guilty, thus setting the stage for their trial.
At today’s sitting, prosecution counsel, Bala Sanga told the court that the matter was for the hearing of the defendant’s bailing application, following which counsel to Adoke, Mike Ozekhome SAN informed the court that the defence has filed application for Adoke’s bail.
“We have also filed two critical documents to show that the defendant will not jump bail. We also urge the court to grant him bail base on his health condition. We humbly urge the court to grant him bail,” Ozekhome said.
Counsel to Aliyu Abubakar, (second defendant), Wole Olanipekun SAN also urged the court to grant bail to the defendant. “One of the exhibits did not show that he ran away. He was not deported. He was not extracted. He bought his own ticket back to Nigeria on his own. We urge the court to exercise discretion to grant him bail,” Olanipekun stated.
Similarly, counsel to Mr. Rasky Gbinigie (third defendant) also urged the court to grant him bail. “The applicant has been under investigation for 13 years and he has never ever failed his invitation. He is also a member of the profession (law). He has spent 35 years in this profession and it is unfortunate that he found himself in the dock.”
Sanga while opposing Adoke’s bail application noted that no case of ill health has been proven by the defendant, more so, that Adoke did not voluntarily return to the country but extradited by Interpol.
“We have a counter-affidavit dated January 24, 2020 and filed on the same date. It is 11 paragraphs, deposed to by Ahmed Ibrahim, an officer of the EFCC. The contention is that no ill health has been proven. We have exhibit EF1 and EF2 and the point is that it is the Interpol that handed him over to us. Interpol said we should come and collect him, so how come he returned on his own?” Sanga said.
The prosecution counsel equally opposed the bail applications of the second and third defendants, both of whom he told the court that the prosecution has respectively filed a 10 paragraph counter-affidavit to their applications, dated January 24, 2020 and filed on the same date.
Justice Kuitigi adjourned the matter to Thursday, January 30 for ruling on the bail applications.