The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on
Tuesday, June 17, 2025, re-arraigned the Bauchi State's Accountant
General, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja before Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High
Court, Maitama, Abuja.
Jaja was arraigned alongside a bureau
de change operator, Aliyu Abubakar whose trading
name is Jasfad Resources Enterprise. Other defendants at
large are:
Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari manga and Muhammed
Aminu Bose.
They are facing prosecution on a five-count
amended charge bordering on money laundering, stealing and
conversion of public funds to the tune of N1,488,425,629.000 (One Billion,
Four Hundred and Eighty-eight Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand,
Six Hundred and Twenty-nine Naira only).
Count two of the charge reads: “That you
Aliyu Abubakar (trading under the name and style of "Jasfad Resources
Enterprise," a purported Bureau de change operator), Sirajo
Muhammad Jaja (Accountant General of Bauchi State), Abubakar
Muhammed Hafiz (at large), Ari manga (at large) and
Muhammed Aminu Bose (at large), between 29 October, 2024 and 31st
December, 2024 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did
commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum
of One Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Two Million, Two Hundred and
Thirty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Seven (
N1,192,234,627.00) of public funds, belonging to Bauchi State
government which you transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-treasury
Account domiciled in United Bank for Africa with the account number 1018819396
into the bank account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise, domiciled
in United Bank for Africa with the account number 1023444660 and
thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) and
punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and
Prohibition)Act, 2022.”
Count three reads: “That you Aliyu Abubakar
(Trading under the name and style of “Jasfad Resources Enterprise,” a purported
Bureau de Change Operator), Sirajo Muhammad Jaja (Accountant general of
Bauchi state), Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz (at large), Ari Manga (at
large), and Muhammed Aminu Bose (at large), between 3rd January,
2025 and 14 March 2025 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did
commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum of Two
Hundred and Ninety Six Million, One Hundred and Ninety One Thousand Naira
(296,191,000.00) of public funds belonging to Bauchi State government
which you transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-Treasury Account domiciled
in United Bank for Africa with account number 1018819396 into the bank account
of Jasfad Resources enterprise, domiciled in United Bank for Africa with
account number 1023444660 and thereby committed an offence contrary
to Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money
Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to the
charges, prompting counsel to first and second defendant, Gordy Uche, SAN
and Chris Uche, SAN, respectively to pray the court to allow the
subsisting bail of the defendants to continue to prevail and further asked
the court for adjournment to allow them study the amended
charge. Their plea on the bail was not objected to by the
prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN.
Justice
Egwuatu upheld that the subsisting bail of
the defendants should continue and adjourned the
matter till July 21, 2025 for commencement of trial.
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