The money laundering trial of a former Minister of State for Power,
Muhammad Wakil, and four others by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, was today November 4, 2020 adjourned till February 4,
2021 by Justice J.K Dagad of the Federal High Court sitting in
Maiduguri, Borno State.
The other defendants are Garba Abacha, Ibrahim Shehu Birma, Dr. Abubakar
Ali Kullima, and Engr. Muhammad Baba Kachalla. The defendants are
alleged to have received the sum of N450m, being part of the $115million
disbursed by a former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani
Alison-Madueke to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential
election.
One of the charges read, “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 defendants were first arraigned before Justice M.T Salihu on July 2,
2018. But his retirement from the bench necessitated the re-assignment
of the case to a new judge
When the matter was called today, the Court Registrar presented a letter
from Nankham Ayuba Dammo, counsel to the first, second, and fourth
defendants, wherein he informed the Court that he was indisposed and
asked for an adjournment on the ground of ill-health. Counsel to the
fifth defendant Z. Hamza also sent a letter asking for an adjournment
due to the fact that he was appearing in another matter before the
Appeal Court, Gombe.
However, the prosecuting counsel, Fatsuma Muhammad objected to the
letter sent by counsel to the fifth defendant on the ground that no
hearing notice from the Gombe Division of the Court of Appeal was
attached. He thereby urged the court to discountenance his application.
After listening to counsel, Justice Dagad adjourned the case till
February 4, 2021.