The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has perfected arrangements to arraign the former Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema, before a Federal High Court sitting in Katsina.
An anonymous source at the Kano Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, disclosed to the Daily Sun that the former governor would be arraigned on Monday, the 23rd of April, 2018, before Honourable Justice Babagana Ashgar on a 26-count charge of Conspiracy and Money Laundering.
The embattled former governor is also facing criminal prosecution before a Katsina State High Court on a charge of diversion of over 11 billion naira from the State coffers during his tenure as governor.
Alhaji Shema had in that case been arraigned alongside Sani Hamisu Makana, Lawai Rufai and Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba, in Kano.
In the new case, the governor would be charged alongside one Idris Kwado, who is currently at large.
According to the charge against Shema and Kwado, the two of them had connived and laundered the sum of N5,776,552,396 (five billion, seven hundred and seventy six million, five hundred and fifty two thousand, three hundred and ninety six naira), which was allegedly taken from the account of Katsina State Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P).
One of the charges against the former governor, which was sighted by Daily Sun reads:
“You Ibrahm Shehu Shema, whilst being the Executive Governor of Katsina State on or about the 17th February, 2014, at Katsina, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did indirectly control the sum of N502,216,400 (Five Hundred and Two Million, Two Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Four Hundred Naira Only), withdrawn from Katsina State SURE-P account No.5030053838, domiciled at Fidelity Bank Plc, Katsina Branch, meant for peace education, advocacy and mediation programme, which money you ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: Fraud, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
