Ex-Niger Gov Aliyu Challenges FG’s Money Laundering Charge Against Him

The Federal Government is prosecuting Aliyu alongside the 2015 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a former Niger State Commissioner for Environment, Parks, Gardens and Forest Resources, Umar Nasko on an eight-count charge of money laundering before the Federal High Court in Abuja. When the matter came up on Thursday before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, the defence counsel, Mamman Usman (SAN) informed the court of a preliminary objection by the defence challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the court in Abuja to try the former governor and his co-defendant on the alleged offence. According to Usman, the court sitting before Justice Dimgba do not have the jurisdiction to hear the matter because the alleged offences were committed in Niger State. He said the defendants and all the witnesses in the case live in Niger State, adding that, since there is a Federal High Court in Niger State, the matter should be transferred to the state for hearing and determination. Usman, who prayed the court to decline jurisdiction in the matter said it will not be fair to subject the defendants and witnesses in the matter to discomfort. Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Ben Ikani told the court that he was ready with his witnesses in court for trial to commence in the matter. Recall that the former governor and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge in which they were accused of conspiring and diverting over N1 billion ecological funds which the state was said to have received from the Federal Government in 2014. They allegedly paid the money into the account of a private company, D-Sabrin International Limited, through the Niger State Ministry of Environment. Some of the counts preferred against them in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/71/2017 read, “That you, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu (while being the Executive Governor of Niger State) and Umar Muhammed Nasko (whilst being the Commissioner for Environment, Parks, Gardens and Forest Resources in Niger State) sometime in 2014, at Minna, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire between yourselves to commit an offence to wit: money laundering of ecological funds released by the Federal Government to the Niger State Government and, thereby, committed an offence contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.” Shortly after the defendants took their pleas, their counsel moved their bail applications, wherein he told the court that the anti-graft agency Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier granted them defendants an administrative bail. Following a no-objection to the bail application by the prosecution counsel, the trial judge admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200 million each, with two sureties each in like sum. Justice Dimgba ordered that the two sureties could be business men or public servants; and where in the public service, must not be below the rank of a director. The sureties, the Judge held, must also own landed property in Abuja excluding the satellite towns and that Aliyu and Nasko are to also deposit their international passports with the court and must not travel without the permission of the court. The court further hearing in the matter till October 5, 2017.]]>