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Detained social critic and former Senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani has been confronted with voice notes of his conversation with his accuser, Alhaji Sani Dauda who alleged the ex-federal lawmaker extorted $25,000 from him. The messy bribery scandal is currently being investigated by the EFCC.
The recorded conversation between Sani and the complainant has however introduced another dimension to his claims of innocence.
A reliable source at the anti-graft agency told Saturday Sun that at a meeting that took place at the Jabi office of the Commission on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, Senator Sani, who had hitherto denied receiving any bribe money from Alhaji Sani Dauda, Chairman of ASD Motors, recanted after listening to five of the 13 voice recordings of his conversation with his accuser.
The source further revealed that after listening to the first of the 13 audio recordings, the Senator reportedly said “Do you have another one?” When the second and the third were played to him, in the presence of his lawyers, Audu Mohammed Lawal, and Glory Peter, the embattled Senator said “I am okay with this. I am okay with this”.
When asked if he is familiar with the voices in the audio, he said “Yes, that is my voice except that some aspects of the recording have been deleted”. Asked who did the deletion, the EFCC or the complainant, Sani said “I am not saying you people deleted it. But that is not the complete conversation”.
In the voice recording, Shehu Sani could be heard in Hausa language pleading with the complainant that he should do everything to make sure they resolve the issue because of their reputation. “You have a family and I have a family, think of the way people will see the matter even though it is not public money”, he was alleged to have pleaded in Hausa.
“I believe you already discussed with Bashir, Bashir must have given you his personal advice on what we need to do so that this matter is buried here”, he was also quoted to have said in one of the voice recordings.
In another instance, Senator Sani was also said to have admitted that the money $25, 000 was “bribe money”. He allegedly had two meetings with the complainant: one, at Dauda’s house and the second at his office after the Muslim “Isha” prayers.
The source further stated that contrary to Senator Sani’s public posturing of his innocence in the alleged crime, he reportedly begged profusely after listening to the recordings that the matter should not be taken further to the media.
When contacted on the latest development, the acting spokesperson of the EFCC, Tony Orilade said “All I can say is that the investigation of Senator Shehu Sani is ongoing and he would soon be charged to court”.
The embattled Senator had for weeks pleaded innocent, accusing the anti-graft agency of trying to stop him from his public criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration.
