A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Senator Shehu Sani, for alleged extortion of $25,000 from Alhaji Sani Dauda, the Chairman, ASD Motors, told a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, that Shehu Sani took advantage of the complainant, following the issues he had with the Nigeria Police.
Bako Aliyu, the 10th prosecution witness, an operative with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told the court that Shehu Sani claimed he was going to offer the money as bribe to the Chief Justice of the Federation, then acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu and some operatives of the Commission to let him off the hook of the police.
Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, is standing trial before Justice Inyang Ekwo on a two-count criminal charges, bordering on name-dropping, influence-peddling and obtaining the sum of $25,000 under false pretence.
He allegedly obtained the said sum on the pretext that he would use it to bribe the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, to shield the complainant from EFCC’s investigation and prosecution.
Monday’s trial was initially slated to review the audio evidence which captured Senator Sani’s voice, allegedly extorting $25,000 from Dauda but could not go on due to system failure.
Aliyu, in his evidence, said the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Abubakar Muhammad and the former EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu had denied receiving any bribe from Sani, with the CJN publishing his denial in two national dailies.
“There was evidence of a request of money from the defendant, asking the complainant for money to bribe the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Magu and some EFCC staff, “ Aliyu said.
Upon learning that the matter was before the Commission, the witness said the defendant hurriedly returned the money to the complainant, begging him to change the statement he had volunteered to the EFCC.
Aliyu also faulted Sani’s claim that the $25,000 he gave ASD was part payment for the purchase of a brand new Peugeot 508 saloon car.
“My lord our investigation shows ASD does not transact any business in dollars. Moreover, the managing director of ASD motors is the one responsible for sales of vehicles, not the Chairman,” he told the court.
Justice Ekwo thereafter adjourned the matter to March 16, 2021 for continuation of trial and cross examination of the witness.
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