Court Orders El-Rufai’s Ex-Aides To Open Defence In ₦155 Million Laundering Case
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered a former Kaduna State Commissioner of Finance and Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Bashir Mohammed Saidu, and his co-defendant, Ibrahim Murktar, to open their defence in a ₦155m money laundering trial.
Papers News reports that the case was instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Delivering a ruling on the no-case submissions filed by the defendants, Justice Rilwan Aikawa dismissed the application, holding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them.
The court held that, from the totality of evidence presented by the ICPC, the defendants had questions to answer and must enter their defence.
Saidu and Murktar are being prosecuted on a four-count charge bordering on money laundering offences under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The ICPC alleged that Murktar, who was a cashier in the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance at the time, withdrew ₦155m in multiple cash tranches from the Kaduna State Exchange Gain Account.
The commission claimed the funds were handed over in cash through a proxy for the benefit of Saidu, in violation of statutory financial regulations.
It further alleged that the transactions, which were conducted outside the formal banking system, were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
Trial Resumes June 22
The trial commenced after the defendants were arraigned on January 21, 2025. The prosecution called two witnesses and tendered several exhibits before closing its case.
The defendants thereafter filed no-case submissions, arguing that the evidence led by the prosecution was insufficient to warrant them entering a defence.
The court, however, disagreed and held that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence requiring explanation from the defendants.
The matter was adjourned till June 22, 2026, for the defendants to open their defence.
