The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged a former Chief of Staff to immediate past Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, with alleged money laundering at the Federal High Court.
Saidu, who was also a one-time Commissioner of Finance in El-Rufai’s administration, was charged along with Ibrahim Muktar, described as “a public officer in the employment of the Ministry of Finance”.
The charge states that the defendants are facing a two-count charge of money laundering, contrary to an earlier claim that Saidu had been found not guilty of all charges after 10 months of investigation.
The court document stated that sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Saidu, who was the Commissioner of Finance at the time, “did accept a cash payment of N155,000,000.00 from Ibrahim Muktar, exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you (Saidu) received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.
The ICPC also alleged that in the same March 2022 or thereabouts, Saidu “indirectly took control of N155,000,000.00 received in cash for and on behalf of you by Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which fund you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption, and you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.
Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 states that “any person who contravenes the provisions of Subsection (2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen (14) years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both”.
The charge, which was signed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, was filed yesterday at the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Kaduna.
