The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former Vice Chancellor and bursar of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Kaduna state, Ibrahim Garba, and Ibrahim Usman, for money laundering to the tune of over N1 billion.
The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said the duo were charged on nine counts before Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
According to the commission, the defendants were accused of diverting the monies from different accounts of the institution meant to renovate the popular Kongo Conference Hotel, Zaria.
They pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Based on their pleas, the prosecuting counsel, Jamil Musa, urged the court to remand the defendants at the Kaduna Correctional Centre and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
The defence counsel, M.S Aatu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) for the 1st defendant and Bello. I.Jahun, for the 2nd defendant, urged the court to admit their clients to bail.
Justice Aikawa granted bail to the defendants in the sum of five million naira each with one surety each in like sum who must not be below Grade Level 15 in the civil service.
The defendants must also deposit their international passports with the court’s registrar. They are to further report to EFCC on the first Monday of every month until the court directs otherwise.
The case was adjourned till June 20-21, 2023, for the continuation of hearing.
One of the counts reads, “that you, Prof. Ibrahim Garba and Ibrahim Shehu Usman, sometime in December 2013, whilst the Vice Chancellor and Bursar of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria respectively, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to use the aggregate sum of N998, 000,000.00(Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million Naira), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: Criminal Breach of Trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.
Another count reads, “that you, Prof. Ibrahim Garba and Ibrahim Shehu Usman, between the 11th day of January 2016 and 29th day of June 2016 whilst the Vice Chancellor and Bursar of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria respectively, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court concealed the aggregate sum of N119,923,730.00(One Hundred and Nineteen Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty Naira) in USIG NIGERIA LIMITED’s account No. 1402548014 domiciled in First City Monument Bank Plc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: Criminal Breach of Trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.