On Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned a former Power Minister of State, Mohammed Wakil, and four others on an alleged N450 million money laundering charge.
In a declaration signed on Tuesday by the spokesman of the anti-graft organization, it said the accused were charged before Federal High Court Justice J.K. Dagad, Maiduguri, Borno State on a seven-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy.
They were originally arraigned before Mohammed Salihu on July 2, 2018, prior to his retirement from duty, which required a reassignment of the case to a fresh judge.
Mr Wakil is on trial with Garba Abacha, Ibrahim Birma, Abubakar Kullima, and Muhammad Kachalla, according to the declaration.
The EFCC said they reportedly raised $115 million from Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, to influence the result of the 2015 presidential election.
The commission added that they committed the crime in Maiduguri, Borno State, on March 26, 2015.
According to the allegations, their offense is contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended). ‘
They all pleaded “not guilty” to the allegations, according to the declaration.
The EFCC counsel, Benjamin Manji, requested the tribunal for a trial start date.
However, the trial judge granted them bail on the terms and conditions that Mr Salihu, the former judge, had previously given them.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case to 5 November 2019.
