The Federal High Court sitting in Gusau presided
over by Honourable Justice Fatima Murtala Aminu has adjourned till December
11th, 2018 for ruling on an application filed by the former governor of Zamfara
State, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi, challenging the competency of the charge
preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Shinkafi was charged for allegedly conniving to collect
the sum of N450,000,000 part of the sum of $115,000,000 that was said to have
been distributed by the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Allison
Madueke for the purpose of influencing the 2015 general election. Others
charged with himwere: Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, Aminu Nahuche and Ibrahim
Malaha.
Shinkafi had filed a motion asking the court to
quash the five count charge brought against him by the Commission.
Upon arraignment on May 28th, 2018 Shinkafi and his
co-defendants pleaded not guilty and the case was adjourned to June 27th 2018
for hearing.
The motion filed on behalf of Shinkafi was
supported by a 23 paragraph affidavit and a written address including one
exhibit.
The motion was moved by counsel representing the
second defendant, M.R.D Labaran who held the brief of Ahmed Raji SAN. It
seeks for order of the court dismissing, striking, and quashing of charge No.
FHC/GS/17C/2018. The motion also prays for the discharging of the second
defendant of the said charge.
Prosecution counsel Musa Isah opposed the motion
with a 26 paragraph counter affidavit urging the court to dismiss the
application. Isah adopted the written address attached to the affidavit as his
argument.
After listening to the arguments of both
parties, Justice Aminu adjourned the matter December 11th, 2018 for
ruling.
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