Alleged Bribery: Witnesses Stall Shehu Sani’s court proceedings
By Ene Ikpa
A mild drama took place at the Federal High Court Abuja, on Monday at the resumed trial of the USD$25,000.00 bribery allegations against Senator Shehu Sani forcing the trial Judge, Justice Iyang Ekwo to stand down the continuation of the trial till Tuesday .
At the resumed trial the EFCC Counsel, Abba Mohammed standing for the prosecution had presented two witnesses, one Ismaila Bala and Alhaji Sani Dauda as witnesses.
Under cross examination by the Prosecuting Counsel, Bala Ismaila, who claimed to be a domestic staff to ASD, claimed the alleged bribery took place in December 2020.
He further told the Court that he only knew Shehu Sani on Television but again insisted Shehu Sani visited the Maitama residence of ASD five times but could neither remember the date or the year.
Ismaila who spoke through an interpreter claimed he did not see Shehu receiving or returning the alleged bribery sum but was informed by Alhaji Sani Dauda.
Under cross examination Alhaji Sani Dauda against the $25,000.00 Shehu was alleged to have collected from ASD , he could only remember $13.95 USD.
Amidst the contradictions the trial Judge justice Ekwo Iyang stand down the continuation of the trial till 7th July.
Recall that Justice I.E Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had stated that he would revoke the bail granted Senator Shehu Sani if he fails to appear in court on the next adjourned date.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Shehu Sani on two-count criminal charges, bordering on name-dropping and obtaining the sum of USD$25,000.00 (Twenty-five Thousand United States Dollars) from Alhaji Sani Dauda of ASD Motors, Kaduna, under a false pretence that he would use the sum to bribe the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, to shield Dauda from EFCC’s investigation and prompt the Commission to arrest and prosecute one Abubakar Musa who is having an issue with Dauda.
At the resumed trial on Monday, defence counsel, A.A. Ibrahim SAN informed the court that the defendant was not in court because his neighbour just died of COVID-19, following which the Kaduna State Government placed a movement restriction in the area.
“My Lord, the defendant is unavoidably absent in court today because one of his neighbours died of COVID-19, and the government of Kaduna State placed a restriction of movement in the area, hence making him absent. In the circumstance, we are pleading with the court to give us a date,” he said.
Prosecuting counsel, Abba Mohammed, who objected to the motion for adjournment informed the court that he had two witnesses in court and one of them came from the same Kaduna Shehu Sani complained about.
Justice Ekwo thereafter adjourned the case till July, 6,7,8 and 9, 2020 for continuation of trial.
