Government, before Justice Babangana Ashigar of a Federal High Court
sitting in Ilorin on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering.
Those arraigned include: Abubakar Ishiak, Permanent Secretary; Shina
Mudasir Akorede, Director of Administration and Finance; Rasaq Momonu,
Controller Finance and Account, and Hafees Yusuf, Cashier.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Abubakar Ishiak, being the Permanent
Secretary, Kwara State Government House, Shina Mudasir Akorede, being
the Director of Administration and Finance, Rasaq Momonu, being the
Controller of Finance and Account, Kwara State Government House, and
Hafees Yusuf, being the Cashier of Kwara State Government House on or
about the 14th day of February 2019 at Ilorin, Kwara State within the
jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a cash payment of
N20,300,000 (Twenty Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira) only to one
Energy Multi-Trade Unique Interbiz Limited through the company’s Chief
Executive Officer, Jimoh Sarafadeen Kolade for services rendered to
Kwara State Government House, which cash sum exceeded the limitation of
N10 million payable to a body corporate and thereby committed an offence
contrary to section 1 (b) and Punishable under section 16 of the same
Act.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Based on their plea, prosecuting counsel, Christopher Mschelia, prayed
the court for a date for trial to commence as the EFCC was prepared to
prove its case against them.
“We are asking your lordship to order that they should be remanded in
prison,” Mschelia added.
Lead defence counsel, Abdulwahab Bamidele, however made an oral
application for bail.
But Mschelia urged the Court not to grant the request, insisting that
“the substantive bail application is not ripe for hearing”.
Justice Ashigar in his ruling refused the oral application for bail, and
ordered the defendants to be remanded in EFCC custody.
The case has been adjourned to May 8, 2019 for hearing of the formal
bail application, while the trial is to commence on June 6, 2019.