The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that ex-Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and his co-defendants have a case to answer in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s money-laundering charges filed against them.
The EFCC is prosecuting Lamido and two of his sons, Aminu and Mustapha Lamido, on 37 amended charges.
Aminu Abubakar, a business associate of the Lamidos, and four companies are also defendants.
After the EFCC closed its case, the former governor filed a no-case submission, claiming that the evidence provided by the prosecution revealed no case against him.
However, ruling on the no-case submission, Justice Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu dismissed his claim, ordering him to open his defence on November 8.
Part of the charges includes “That you Alhaji Sule Lamido (while being the Governor of Jigawa State, Nigeria), on or about 15th of December,2008 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in your account in the name of Bamaina Holdings (also referred to as Bamaina Holding Limited) domiciled at Unity Bank Plc. Kano, converted the sum of N14,850,000.00 (Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) being the value of Intercontinental Bank Plc. (now Access Bank Plc) cheque no. 00000025 paid by Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Nigeria Limited which represented the proceeds of your illegal act to wit: using your position as a public officer for gratification by purportedly obtaining contracts for companies in which you have interest from Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Nigeria Limited which was awarded contracts by Jigawa State Government with the aim of concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act.”