BEVERLY HILLS, June 27, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested that the trial of former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, and two others at a Federal High Court in Kano, be transferred to Abuja due to safety concerns.
The former governor, Shekarau; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aminu Wali, and Mansur Ahmed are standing trial in Kano on a six-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950,000,000.
The defendants were said to have collected the N950,000,000; part of the $115,000,000, allegedly distributed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, for the purpose of influencing the outcome of the 2015 general election.
EFCC counsel, Johnson Ojogbemi, at the resumed hearing in Kano, told the court that some of its witnesses were scared that they will be abducted and their lives are not safe.
The declaration of EFCC lawyer was rejected by the defence counsel, Sam Ologunorisa, who averred that “it violates the basis of the bail granted the accused.”
Ruling, the trial judge, Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar, adjourned the matter till October 18 for a verdict on where to continue the trial.
