By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Anti-graft agency, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has dragged former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El Rufai’s former Chief of Staff (CoS), Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, to the Federal High Court in Kaduna, for alleged money laundering.
Alhaji Saidu, who was also a Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State during the El Rufai administration, was charged along with one Ibrahim Muktar, said to be a public officer in the employment of the state Ministry of Finance, on Tuesday, January 7.
In charge No FHC/KD/IC/2025, the defendants are being accused of a two-count charge of money laundering, contrary to earlier claim that Saidu had been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.
The court document stated that sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Saidu, who was at that time Commissioner of Finance, allegedly ‘’did accept cash payment of the sum of N155,000,000.00 from one Ibrahim Mukhtar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2 (a) and punishable under the Section 19 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’
According to the ICPC, in the same March 2022 or thereabouts, Saidu allegedly ‘’indirectly took control of the sum of N155, 000,000.00 received in cash for and on behalf of you by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which fund you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’
Section 18(3) of the Act states that ‘’any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection(2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than 14 years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both.’’
The charge was signed by ICPC’s Assistant Chief Legal Officer, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha.
It was filed on Tuesday, January 7 at the Federal High Court, Kaduna.
