Money Laundering: El-Rufai Ex-chief Of Staff Back To Prison

Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai’s former chief of staff, Alhaji Bashir Sa’idu, has been sent back to the Correctional Facility. Yesterday, the Kaduna State High Court adjourned the hearing of his bail application until Thursday, January 23rd, 2025.

The former El-Rufai’s chief of staff and one-time commissioner for Finance was charged before the Kaduna State High Court II on 10-count charges bordering on alleged money laundering, embezzlement and stealing.

Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission had filed similar charges against the Commissioner at another State High Court.

When the case came up for mention before Justice Isa Aliyu yesterday, the 10 charges were read to the hearing of the defendant, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The charges, among other things, alleged that the former Commissioner sold $45 million in hard currency belonging to the Kaduna State Government—equivalent to ₦18,450,000,000—at the significantly undervalued rate of ₦410 per dollar, instead of the parallel market rate of ₦498 per dollar, with criminal intent, resulting in a ₦3,960,000,000 loss to the government.

According to the prosecution, the offence allegedly took place in 2022, when Sa’idu served as Commissioner of Finance in the El-Rufai’s administration.

The prosecution further alleged that the ₦3,960,000,000 discrepancy was laundered by Sa’idu, in violation of Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Counsel to the defendant, M I Abubakar notified the Court of a pending bail application, urging the Court to grant his client, Alhaji Bashir Sa’idu bail, as he had already spent 21 days in custody since his arrest on 2nd January, 2025.

While noting that the bail application was filed before the Court on the 16th of January, he argued that granting Sa’idu bail would allow him adequate time and facilities to defend the charges against him.

However, the prosecution counsel, Prof. Nasiru Aliyu, raised objections against the bail application, arguing that the law provides that the prosecution be allowed seven days to file its response to the bail application.

After about 40 minutes of recess, Justice Aliyu ruled that the prosecution should be given adequate time provided by the law to file its defence to the bail application.

He, however, adjourned the case till 23rd January 2025 for a hearing of the bail application.