January 16, (THEWILL) — The Supreme Court, on Friday, cleared the way for the resumption of the N1.35 billion fraud trial of former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, his two sons, and others, by ordering that the case should continue before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In two unanimous judgements delivered by a five-member panel, the apex court upheld appeals filed by the Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), overturning the July 25, 2023 decisions of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which had struck out the 37-count charge on grounds of lack of jurisdiction.
Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Abubakar Umar set aside the appellate court rulings and affirmed the earlier decision of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which overruled the no-case submissions of Lamido and the other defendants and ordered them to enter their defence.
The EFCC alleged that Lamido abused his office as governor between 2007 and 2015 by laundering funds received as kickbacks from companies awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government. Also standing trial are his sons, Aminu and Mustapha Lamido; Aminu Wada Abubakar; and two firms — Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
In a related ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by Aminu Sule Lamido against his conviction for failure to declare $40,000 in cash and making false declaration of foreign currency at the airport.
In the unanimous judgement written by Justice Adamu Jauro, but read by Justice Abubakar Umar, the apex court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal, Kaduna, which had upheld the July 12, 2015 judgement of the Federal High Court, Kano, convicting Aminu and ordering the forfeiture of 25 percent of the undeclared foreign currency to the Federal Government.
The rulings clear the way for the resumption of the fraud trial against the former governor and his co-defendants at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
