Yemi Adedeji, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned a former minister of State for Power, Muhammad Wakil and four others over N341m fraud.
Wakil was arraigned alongside Garba Abacha, Ibrahim Shehu Birma, Dr. Abubakar Ali Kullima and Engr. Muhammad Baba Kachalla before Justice M.T Salihu of the of Federal High Court, Maiduguri, on a seven count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
The ex minister and the other defendants allegedly received the said sum from the $115million disbursed by a former minister of petroleum resources Diezani Alison-Madueke to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
Count one reads: “That you, Hon. Muhammad Wakil, Garba Abacha, Ibrahim Shehu Birma, Dr. Abubakar Ali Kullima and Engr. Muhammad Baba Kachalla on or about the 26th day of March, 2015 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did agree among yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit: conspiracy to commit Money Laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended)”.
After the counts were read, the defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Counsel to the prosecution, H. A. Shehu applied for a trial date, while urging the court to remand the defendants in prison custody.
In his reply, counsel to the first, second and third defendants, M. Umoru asked for the remand of the defendants in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of their bail applications.
The judge however adjourned the case to July 3 for hearing of the bail applications and ordered the defendants to remain in EFCC custody
