From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, June 17, re-arraigned the Bauchi State’s Accountant General, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, before Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
Jaja was arraigned alongside a bureau de change operator, Aliyu Abubakar, whose trading name is Jasfad Resources Enterprise.
Other defendants at large are Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga, and Muhammed Aminu Bose.
They are facing prosecution on a five-count amended charge bordering on money laundering, stealing, and conversion of public funds to the tune of N1.4 billion.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Aliyu Abubakar (trading under the name and style of ‘Jasfad Resources Enterprise,’ a purported Bureau de Change operator), Sirajo Muhammad Jaja (Accountant General of Bauchi State), Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz (at large), Ari Manga (at large), and Muhammed Aminu Bose (at large), between 29 October, 2024 and 31st December, 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an offence to wit: money laundering by converting the sum of One Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Two Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Seven Naira (N1,192,234,627.00) of public funds, belonging to Bauchi State Government, which you transferred from the Bauchi State Sub-treasury Account domiciled in United Bank for Africa with the account number 1018819396 into the bank account of Jasfad Resources Enterprise, domiciled in United Bank for Africa with the account number 1023444660, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, prompting counsel to the first and second defendants, Gordy Uche, SAN, and Chris Uche, SAN, respectively, to pray the court to allow the subsisting bail of the defendants to continue to prevail and further asked the court for an adjournment to allow them to study the amended charge. Their plea on the bail was not objected to by the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN.
Justice Egwuatu upheld that the subsisting bail of the defendants should continue and adjourned the matter till July 21, 2025, for commencement of trial.