N700M DIEZANI BRIBE: EFCC RE-ARRAIGNS EX-GOV YERO, OTHERS
A former governor of Kaduna State, Muktar Yero, was on Tuesday re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was re-arraigned before Justice M.G Umar of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, on eight-count amended charges of money laundering.
The EFCC is prosecuting the former governor alongside a former
Minister of State for Power, Nuhu Wya; former Secretary to Kaduna State Government,
Ishaq Hamsa; and former Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party in the state,
Haruna Gaiya for their alleged sharing of N700 million purportedly given to them
by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has re-arraigned a former governor of Kaduna State, Muktar Ramalan Yero before Justice M.G Umar of the Federal High Court, Kaduna on an eight count amended charge of money laundering.
Yero is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside Nuhu Somo Wya (a former Minister), Ishaq Hamsa (former Secretary to Kaduna State Government) and Abubakar Gaiya Haruna (former Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, PDP in the state) for their alleged involvement in the sharing of Seven Hundred Million Naira (N700, 000,000.00) provided by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
In a statement by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, on Tuesday, he said that the re-arraignment of the accused persons followed the transfer of the former trial judge, Justice Zainab Abubakar, to another division of the Federal High Court. When their matter came up, the prosecuting counsel, Nasiru Salele, told the court that the case was for re-arraignment of the defendants and urged the court to ask them to take their pleas.
Wilson said in the statement, “The eight- count charges were
read to the defendants and they all pleaded not guilty. In view of their pleas,
the prosecuting counsel asked the court to fix a date for trial.
“But the defence counsel drew the attention of the court to the
previous bail granted the defendants, asking that the status quo be sustained which
the prosecution counsel did not oppose. The court consequently adopted the bail
earlier granted the defendants and adjourned till October 13, 2021 for commencement
of trial.”
