Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission yesterday arraigned a former Senator, Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna South Senatorial district in the 8th National Assembly, before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, after 30 days in detention. He was however, granted bail in the sum of N10m after Justice Ekwo dismissed EFCC’s opposition to his bail.
Accordingly, Justice Ekwo ,ordered Sani to produce a responsible citizen with a landed asset worth the N10m bail sum as surety. The court further ordered the defendant to deposit his passport with the court’s registry and directed that he must not travel out of the country without express permission of the court. In addition, the judge also directed the court’s registry to verify the assets and title documents to be tendered as a guarantee by the surety. He also ordered the court’s registry to notify in writing the Nigeria Immigration Services that the defendant’s passport was in its custody. He then adjourned trial till February 24, 25 and 26.
Sanni, was arrested on December 31, 2019, for allegedly using the name of the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, to extort sums of money from some members of the public. Sani who dressed in a white caftan and a red cap, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge. After the charges were read to the defendant, A.A. Ibrahim, who represented Sani, prayed the court to grant him leave to move his client’s bail application.
However, Abba Mohammed, counsel to the EFCC, disagreed with the request. He prayed the court for a remand order against the senator, arguing that he was just being served with the bail application today (Monday). He also asked the court to fix a date for trial.
Justice Ekwo, after listening to the arguments of the prosecution and defendants, stood down the case until noon to give the prosecution time to study the defendant’s bail application. He said the plea for bail would be decided when the court reconvenes.
Sani is charged for allegedly collecting $15,000 from Sani Dauda ,on November 20, 2019, under false pretence of promising to give Ibrahim Muhammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, in other to influence some pending cases in court and also allegedly collecting the sum of $10,000 from Dauda to bribe Magu.
Among other cases, Sani was said to have demanded $25,000 from Dauda, who gave him $10,000 and later complained to the EFCC. Dauda had also, in his petition to the EFCC, claimed that the former senator demanded N4million from him to give to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, and other four judges to influence some pending cases in court.
Sani denied the allegations, while the CJN had since denied links with Sani. EFCC had searched two houses and an office of the embattled senator in Abuja. Sani had later accused the Federal Government of attempting to silence him over his criticism of the regime led by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), using fronts. He alleged that the government is using his accuser, through the EFCC, to “frame” him in the extortion scandal.