The defendants are being prosecuted on a five count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N500m - The commission revealed that the money which was suspected to be part of the N23 billion allegedly diverted by the former minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison Madueke .
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Gombe office, on Wednesday, June 6, prosecuted former Bauchi state deputy governor, Alhaji Babayo Garba Gamawa, former secretary to the Bauchi state government, Aminu Hammayo and three others at the Federal High Court, Bauchi.
newssplashy.com gathered that they are being prosecuted on a five count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N500m. The six defendants hold several positions in Bauchi State Government.
They include: former deputy governor, former secretary to the government of Bauchi state, former special assistant to the Bauchi state governor, member finance committee, Bauchi state PDP 2015 election campaign, former special adviser to the Bauchi state governor and former secretary to the Bauchi state government respectively.
They were alleged to have sometimes in March, 2015 in Bauchi, Bauchi State within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court Bauchi agreed among themselves to accept cash payment exceeding the threshold provided by law, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a ) and Punishable under Section 16 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) No. 1 2012.
Investigation revealed that the money which was signed and withdrawn by Babayo Garba Gamawa and Alhaji Aminu Hammayo were suspected to be part of the N23 billion allegedly diverted by the former Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison Madueke. The court had fixed Wednesday June 6, 2018 for arraignment.
But when the case was called, only the first to the fifth defendants were present. Counsel to the sixth defendant, Nasiru Balan Malam, informed the court that his client was absent due to illness which necessitated him to travel abroad for medical attention.
In view of that, he asked for an adjournment to enable his client appear in court. But prosecution counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, drew the attention of the court to the fact that the 6th defendant jumped administrative bail when he was invited by the EFCC to come and receive the charges alongside other defendants.
The development made the prosecution to serve the sixth defendant through substitution service. While citing section 379 (3) of the Administrative of the Criminal Justice Act 2015, the prosecution counsel urged the court that the case be continued. Aliyu also cited Section 83 (1) (a), 113, 114 and 184 of ACJA that the court can issue summon or in addition to issue warrant of arrest to compel his appearance. Justice Shitu in his ruling ruled that the accused cannot be arraigned in absentia; he however said the service through substituted means was in order.
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