A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has granted bail to four individuals, (including Jimi Lawal, a senior advisor to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufa’i), who were arraigned on fraud and money laundering charges.
The defendants, who were arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission, (ICPC) were accused of diverting ₦64.8 million in three tranches to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, where Lawal was believed to be the sole signatory.
The other defendants are Lawal Adebisi, a former Senior Special Adviser to el-Rufa’i; the former Accountant-General of Kaduna State, Umar Waziri, and a former aide to the former Governor, Yusuf Inuwa.
To secure their bail, the court ruled that the defendants must provide two sureties with ₦50 million each, who must have landed property in Kaduna with verified Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O). The defendants were also asked to deposit their international passports, national passports, green passports, and official passports, if any, before the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court Kaduna.
Recall that Jimi Lawal and the three others were arraigned before the Federal High Court over alleged ₦64 million fraud by the ICPC.
The anti-graft agency said the accused persons – including Lawal Adebisi, a former Senior Special Adviser to el-Rufa’i; Umar Waziri, the former Accountant General of Kaduna State; and Yusuf Inuwa, a former aide of the former Governor, as well as Solar Life Nigeria Ltd, the company whose bank account was believed to have received the diverted funds – were dragged before the court over a ₦64 million money laundering charge.
According to the ICPC, “The money was sent in three tranches of ₦10 million, ₦47.840m, and ₦7.320m to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, where Mr Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory”.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the court sitting on Tuesday, Counsel to one of the defendants, Johnson Usman (SAN), explained that, “Today, the case came up for arraignment; the four defendants have been arraigned and we moved a Motion for their bail, and the court granted the bail”.
He, however, expressed optimism that the defendants would meet the bail condition as soon as possible, so that they can be released from the prison where they are being remanded.
The case was, however, adjourned to March 26th and 27th, 2025, for continuation of the trial.
