N23.3bn ‘Fraud’: EFCC Re-Arraigns Ex-Finance Minister Yuguda, Dasuki, Bafarawa

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission yesterday re-arraigned a former Minister of Finance, Bashir Yaguda and four others in an FCT High Court, Maitama, for alleged misappropriation of N23.3bn.

Others were retired Col. Sambo Dasukil; a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa and his son, Sagir and their company Dalhatu Investment Limited.

They were re-arraigned on 25 counts bordering on misappropriation and receiving fraudulent proceeds.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants were first arraigned in 2015 before Justice Peter Affen, now justice of the Court of Appeal.

They were later re-arraigned before Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf, now the FCT Chief Judge then, before Justice Yusuf Halilu.

The EFCC accused them of diverting money from the Office of the National Security Adviser between 2013 and 2015 to finance election campaign.

The defendants all pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

The case was adjourned to June 30 for trial and June 7 to hear application filed by Dauski’s counsel.

Earlier, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, counsel to Bafarawa, had urged the court to allow the defendants to enjoy the bail condition given to them earlier.

Counsel to the prosecution, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, said he would not object so long as the defendants were available in court for their trial.

Raji Ahmed, SAN, counsel to Dasuki, reminded the court about his application for his client to be allowed to travel abroad for medical attention.