The Sokoto State High Court on Wednesday remanded the former governor of the state,  Malam Attahiru Bafarawa, and 15 others in prison till  Monday, December 21. 

 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Bafarawa and others on 47-count charges of alleged corruption.

The presiding judge, Justice Bello Abbas, had  rejected an oral application by the Defence Counsel, Mr. Suleiman Usman,  for  bail for the accused  as well as one-week adjournment to enable the defence to study the charges.

Bafarawa and eight other accused persons were brought to the court from Abuja in a chartered flight.

Nine of the 15 were present in court, including  Bafarawa , his younger  brother, Nasiru, and Alhaji Salihu Maibuhu , a business associate of the former governor's. 

Others were former Science and Technical Education Commissioner, Sen. . Salihu Bakwai , former Finance Commissioner, Hajiya A’ishatu Binji , former Water Resources Commissioner, Isa Achida and Alhaji  Habibu Modachi, former Commissioner for Local Government.

Also in court were Alhaji Sambo Danchadi, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Governments and  its former Director of finance , Alhaji Adamu Gurori.

The EFCC counsel, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, told the court that seven other accused persons were at large. 

They include Alhaji Tukur Alkali, former Secretary to the State Government, and DPP gubernatorial candidate in the 2007 general election, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, Ubale Yahaya, Abdullahi Bida, Mike Umeh, Umarun-Kwabo A.A and Shehu Koko.

The court, presided by Justice Bello Abbas, heard that the suspects committed the offences between May 2003 and April 2007 when Bafarawa was governor.

Some of the charges include the alleged sale of UBA Plc shares belonging to Sokoto State Government, as well as the alleged sale of the shares belonging to the state government in the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria ( CCNN) to Bafarawa's younger brother, Nasiru. 

The suspects were also accused of withdrawing N89 million from the education resuscitation committee account and made some illegal deductions from the state and local governments joint account.

Also on the charge sheet is the alleged withdrawal of N349 million from the UBE board account at UBA Sokoto and another N2 billion from the state and local governments joint account.

Abbas said the ongoing strike by members of JUSON would not prevent the defence from filing a written application or stop the court from sitting.

He adjourned the case to December 21 for hearing.

However, The Federal High Court, Abuja, also on Wednesday ordered the EFCC to release Bafarawa, within 24 hours. 

Justice Donatus Okoworo held that Bafarawa was constitutionally entitled to his liberty after he had been arrested and detained in the EFCC custody for more than a week.
He further said that EFCC should release Bafarawa on bail with a surety, who must be a member of the National Assembly, in the sum of N50 million.

He added that the surety must deposit his national identity card, international passport and all travel documents with the chief registrar of the court or the deputy chief registrar in Abuja.

“It's on record that the applicant (Bafarawa) was arrested and has been detained by the EFCC since December 9.

“Section 35 (1) C of the 1999 constitution stated that every citizen shall be entitled to his liberty and such liberty shall not be denied.

“Though the EFCC has every right to detain the applicant upon reasonable suspicion but Section 35 stated that such person shall be arraigned before a period of one day where there is a court of jurisdiction within a radius of 40km.

“If such a person cannot be arraigned within the reasonable period, it’s my view and I hold that the EFCC should release the applicant within 24 hours, pending the determination of the motion on notice,’’ Okorowo ordered.

He adjourned the case to Dec. 18.

Earlier, Bafarawa's counsel, Mr. Rickey Tafar, had brought a motion exparte, pursuant to Section 46 (1) of 1999 constitution, asking for the release of his client on liberal terms pending the determination of the motion on notice before the court. 

He also prayed for an order for stay of all actions relating to the applicant's complaints and an order compelling EFCC to appear before the court in the next adjourned date.
Tafar prayed further that the EFCC should appear to show reason why an order for stay of all actions relating to Bafarawa’s complaints should not be granted.

 

 

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