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Federal High Court Kaduna
A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has granted bail to four individuals, (including Jimi Lawal, a senior advisor to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai), who were arraigned on fraud and money laundering charges.
The defendants, who were arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, were accused of diverting N64.8 million in three tranches to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, where Lawal was believed to be the sole signatory.
The other defendants are Lawal Adebisi, a former Senior Special Adviser to El-Rufai; Umar Waziri, the former Accountant-General of Kaduna State; and Yusuf Inuwa, a former aide to the former Governor.
To secure their bail, the defendants must provide two sureties with N50 million each, who must have landed property in Kaduna with verified Certificates of Occupancy.
Additionally, they must deposit their International Passports, National Passports, Green passports, and official passports, if any, with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the court sitting on Tuesday, Counsel to the defendants, Johnson Usman, SAN, expressed optimism that they would meet the bail conditions soon, allowing them to be released from prison remand.
“The Court however ordered that, pending the perfection of their bail condition, they should be remanded in prison custody and we hope the perfection would be done in a jiffy, possibly tomorrow.
“The defendants were asked to provide two sureties, with some of N50 million in a like sum. That, the sureties must have landed properly in Kaduna and the CofO must be verified by the Registrar of the Court.
“We are hopeful that the defendants will meet the bail conditions as soon as possible, and they will be released from prison custody,” Usman said.
PUNCH Online reports that ICPC had alleged that the defendants conspired to divert the N64.8 million, which was sent in three tranches to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited.
According to the ICPC, the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Kaduna Judicial Division, the Commission was accusing Lawal of conniving with the two other accused persons to have diverted the total sum of N64.800 million.
“The money was sent in three tranches of N10 million, N47.840 million, and N7.320 million to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited where Mr Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory.”
The defendants have denied the allegations, and their counsel has promised to prove their innocence in court.
The case has been adjourned to March 26 and 27, 2025, for trial.
