EFCC re-arraigns ex-Kaduna gov, others over alleged N700m Diezani bribe

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, re-arraigned a former governor of Kaduna State, Muktar Yero, before Justice M.G Umar of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, on eight-count amended charges of money laundering.

Yero is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside a former Minister of State for Power, Nuhu Wya; former Secretary to Kaduna State Government, Ishaq Hamsa; and former Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party in the state, Haruna Gaiya for their alleged involvement in the sharing of N700 million provided by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

According to a statement on Tuesday by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, their re-arraignment followed the transfer of the former trial judge, Justice Zainab Abubakar, to another division of the Federal High Court.

When the case was mentioned, the prosecuting counsel, Nasiru Salele, told the court that the case was for re-arraignment of the defendants and urged the court to ask them to take their pleas.

The defence counsel did not object.

The statement read in part, “The eight- count charges were read to the defendants and they all pleaded not guilty. In view of their pleas, the prosecuting counsel asked the court to fix a date for trial.

“But the defence counsel drew the attention of the court to the previous bail granted the defendants, asking that the status quo be sustained which the prosecution counsel did not oppose. The court consequently adopted the bail earlier granted the defendants and adjourned till October 13, 2021 for commencement of trial.”