EFCC tenders bank documents as Shema’s trial continues today

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission yesterday tendered bank documents before Justice Maikaita Bako of Katsina high court in the ongoing alleged money laundering case involving former Katsina state governor, Ibrahim Shema.

Shema, alongside three others namely former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Sani Makana, ex-ALGON Chairman for the state, Lawal Dankaba and former Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Governments, Lawal Rufai, are standing before the court over 24 count charges of alleged misappropriation of about N11bn of local government funds.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, the EFCC, through its principal witness two, Abdulmalik Ilyas, a former branch manager of Keystone Bank in the state, submitted the statement of accounts of the Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs between 4th of September, 2014 and 16th of May, 2018 and certificate of compliance/identification to further prove its case.

The EFCC counsel, Jibrin Okutepa SAN, had earlier told the court that the commission planned to present four other witnesses as the case progresses.

However, one of the defence counsels, Uwi Igunma, had raised concerns over the documents tendered on the ground that they failed to comply with the evidence act and cannot be valid.

The presiding judge Bako then adjourned the case to today for continuation of the hearing.

Meanwhile, Shema's other case of alleged misappropriation of N5.7b SURE-P funds at the Federal High court was shifted to tomorrow following a clash of dates with the case at the state High Court and change of judge at the said court.