Justice Muhammad Tanko Salihu of the Federal High sitting in maiduguri, Borno State, on Thursday, July 5, 2018 granted bail to a former Ex Minister Hon. Muhammad Wakil, Garba Abacha, Ibrahim Shehu Birma, Dr. Abubakar Ali Kullima and Engr. Muhammad Baba Kachalla, to the tune of N10m each.
Wakil was a former Minister of State for Power, while the four defendants were former political aspirants during the last general elections.
The Commission is prosecuting the defendants on a-7 count charge for the offence of criminal conspiracy to commit Money Laundering to the tune of over N341m.
The prosecution followed intelligence report dated April 13, 2016 against Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke who allegedly warehoused large amount of money with Fidelity Bank.
According to investigation, substantial amount of the money was shared by the defendants to politicians in Borno State, agreeing among themselves to make and receive cash payments above threshold outside financial institutions.
Ruling on the bail application , Justice Salihu admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties in the sum of N5 million each. The sureties must have a landed property within or outside the jurisdiction of the court worth the amount of their suretiship.
Also, the sureties must deposit to an affidavit of means and must summit two recent photographs passport. And the sureties must be verified by both the prosecution and the defence counsels.
Count one of the charge 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)”.
The case has been adjourned to November 1, 2018 for trial.
