Ex-Gov Aliyu’s alleged N2b Fraud: Court sets date for hearing on Beji’s application

Justice Mikail Abdullahi of the Niger State High Court, Minna, on Wednesday, October 14, 2020, adjourned till to October 26, 2020, for hearing on the application brought by Tanko Beji, the third defendant in the money laundering case involving the former Niger State governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu and Barrister Umar Nasko, seeking the striking out of the case.

Aliyu, his then Chief of Staff, Nasko and the chairman, Niger State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Beji, are facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on amended seven-count charge, bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of over N2billion, which the court struck out on June 19, 2020, but was relisted in the state high court, following an application by the prosecution.

In a motion filed by Beji’s counsel, Muhammed Ndayako, who represented Mamman Mike Osman, SAN, the third defendant sought the order of the court to strike out the case with charge number: NSHC/EFCC/2C/2017 for lack of merit as well as an order of the court to set aside his September 14, 2020 re-arraignment alongside the first and second defendants following the relisting of the case.

Prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdullahi, however, drew the attention of the court to the late service of the defence’s application on the prosecution and appealed to the court to give the prosecution time to react to the application.

Justice Abdullahi adjourned till October 26, 2020, for the hearing of application in a pre-trial.

Aliyu and Nasko are equally facing prosecution before Justice A.B. Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Minna, Niger State on amended three-count charge of money laundering to the tune of over N2 billion, which though was struck on June 19, 2020 has been filed for relisting in the court.