Ex-Jigawa Gov Lamido, Sons, Family Firm For Fresh Fraud Trial Apr. 1

Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 1 for fresh arraignment of a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, over N1. 3 billion  corruption charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Lamido is expected to be arraigned alongside his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, who allegedly committed the fraud with their father through fictitious contract awards.

The court fixed the new date yesterday following the absence of the former governor and his sons in court to take their plea.

Though the fresh arraignment was scheduled for yesterday, their counsel, Mr Joe Agi (SAN), apologised for their absence, explaining that information about the trial came on Thursday evening.

He said the former governor and his children  reside in Kano and could not make it to the court because of the distance and lateness of the notice of hearing.

The lawyer undertook to produce them on the adjourned date to face their trial.

However, counsel the EFCC, Mr Chile Okoroma (SAN), said he was taken aback that the three defendants were not in court, having been served with the trial notice.

He said the EFCC had written a letter to the chief judge, Justice John Tsoho, demanding that the initial trial judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu, now in Calabar on transfer, be brought back to Abuja for the trial.

Justice Lifu said the issue of the EFCC letter was an administrative one and would be determined by the chief judge and fixed April 1 for arraignment.

EFCC had in 2015, charged Lamido, his two sons and their companies before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 27 counts of money laundering involving N1.35 billion allegedly siphoned from the state in a money laundering scheme.

Lamido and his co-defendants allegedly committed the offence during his tenure as  governor of the state.