Bafarawa, Yuguda plead not guilty to N13bn scam charges

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arraigned a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; his son Sagir Attahiru, and their firm Dalhatu Investment on 22 counts of misappropriation of about N13bn meant for purchase of arms by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

‎Also to arraigned along with them before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama are the immediate past NSA, Sambo Dasuki and a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu.

The accused were said to have misappropriated the money between August 2013 and May 7, 2015.

All the accused were arraigned before Justice Peter Affen, who had on Monday granted leave to the EFCC to prefer the charges against the accused persons.

They pleaded not guilty to 22 counts of conspiracy, dishonest receipt of stolen property in breach of sections 97 and 317 of the Penal Code Act as well as receipt of proceeds of criminal conducts in breach of section 17(b) of the EFCC Act.

Both Dasuki and Salisu were on Monday arraigned alongside Aminu Baba-Kusa and his two firms – Acacia Holdings Ltd and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited – before Justice Yusuf Baba of the same FCT High Court in Maitama on separate 19 counts involving alleged N32bn fraud.

After the arraignment on Tuesday, Justice Affen fixed Wednesday for hearing of the accused persons bail applications.

Source: Punch