ICPC drags El-Rufai’s aide to court over money laundering

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission(ICPC) has charged former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s ex-Chief of Staff, Muhammad Bashir Saidu, to the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

Saidu, who was also a one-time Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State during El-Rufai’s administration, was charged along with one Ibrahim Muktar, “a public officer in the employment of Ministry of Finance”, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

According to charge No FHC/KD/IC/2025, the defendants are being accused of a two-count charges of money laundering, contrary to earlier claim that Saidu had been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.

The charge was signed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha.

The court document stated that in March 2022, Saidu who at that time the Commissioner of Finance, “did accept cash payment of the sum of N155,000,000.00 from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

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The ICPC also alleged that in March 2022, Saidu “indirectly took control of the sum of N155,000,000.00 received in cash for and on behalf of you by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which fund you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 states that “any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection(2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both.”

The Star