From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna yesterday granted bail to the Senior Advisor Counsellor to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, Mr Jimi Lawal and three others arraigned for fraud and other sundry charges.
The defendants were asked to provide two sureties with some of N50 million in a like sum, with the sureties having landed property in Kaduna, with verified C of O.
The Defendants were also asked to deposit their international passports, national passports, green passports and official passports if any before the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court Kaduna.
Lawal and the three others were arraigned before the Federal High Court over alleged N64 million fraud by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The anti-graft agency said the accused persons including Lawal, Umar Waziri, the former Accountant General of Kaduna State and Yusuf Inuwa, former aide and Solar Life Nigeria Limited, the company, which bank account was believed to have received the diverted funds, were dragged before the over a N64 million money laundering charge
”The money was sent in three tranches of N10 million, N47.840 million, and N7.320 million to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria limited where Mr Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory.”
Counsel to one of the Defendants, Johnson Usman, expressed optimism that the defendants would meet the bail condition as soon as possible, so that they can be released from the prison where they are being remanded.
The case was adjourned to March 26 and 27 for trial.