From Godwin Tsa Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday played an audio recording to prove the $25,000 bribery allegations against the former Senator for Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
Sani is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on bribery, name-dropping and influence-peddling. The EFCC has accused him of fraudulently obtaining the sum of $25, 000. 00 from the Chairman of ASD Group of Companies and board member, Peugeot Automobile Ltd, Alhaji Dauda.
It further alleged that the former law maker collected the money from Dauda under the false pretence that it would be used to bribe its suspended Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, so as to shield him from investigation and prosecution.
The anti-graft agency equally accused Sani of collecting under false pretence, the sum of $15, 000 from Dauda under the guise that the Chief Justice of Nigeria approved that the money should be given to four judges and a prosecutor, for them to hands-off his case and that of his estranged inlaw, one Abubakar Musa.
However, Senator Sani had since denied the allegations as he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Trial Justice Ekwo had on October 21, 2020, admitted the $25, 000 cash and two Samsung phones, in evidence. At the resumption of trial, the audio evidence was tendered through the 10th prosecution witness (PW10), Bako Aliyu, who brought two of the electronic generated evidence.
The 20 minutes audio conversation according to the prosecuting agency, was between Senator Sani and Alhaji Sani Dauda, the nominal complainant in the case.
