Supreme Court orders continuation of ₦1.35bn fraud trial against Sule Lamido, Sons

The Supreme Court has ordered the continuation of the trial of former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, his two sons and other defendants over allegations involving ₦1.35 billion, directing that the matter should proceed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The apex court gave the directive in two unanimous judgments delivered by a five-member panel, allowing appeals filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In its decision, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling of the trial court, which had earlier dismissed the no-case submission filed by Lamido and the other defendants, holding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring them to open their defence.

The appeals arose from the July 25, 2023 judgments of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had upheld the no-case submission of the defendants and struck out the 37-count charge, on the grounds that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.

However, delivering the lead judgments of the Supreme Court, Justice Abubakar Umar set aside the appellate court’s decisions and affirmed the earlier ruling of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Justice Umar held that the trial court was right in overruling the no-case submissions and ordering the defendants to enter their defence, stressing that the evidence presented by the prosecution was sufficient to warrant a full trial.

The EFCC had accused Lamido of abusing his office as governor between 2007 and 2015, alleging that he laundered public funds received as kickbacks from companies awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government during his tenure.

Those standing trial alongside the former governor include his sons, Aminu and Mustapha Sule Lamido, Aminu Wada Abubakar, as well as their companies, Bamaina Holdings Limited and Speeds International Limited.

Apex Court Dismisses Son’s Currency Declaration Appeal

In a related development, the Supreme Court also dismissed an appeal filed by Aminu Sule Lamido, challenging his conviction for false declaration of foreign currency.

The court, in a unanimous ruling, held that the appeal lacked merit and affirmed the decisions of the lower courts.

Aminu was arrested by operatives of the EFCC on December 11, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, while attempting to travel to Cairo, Egypt.

According to the prosecution, he declared $10,000 to the Nigeria Customs Service, but was found to be in possession of an additional $40,000 which was not disclosed.

He was subsequently charged before the Federal High Court in Kano for violating provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

On July 12, 2015, the trial court convicted him and ordered the forfeiture of 25 per cent of the undeclared sum to the Federal Government.

Efforts to overturn the conviction failed at the Court of Appeal in Kaduna, which dismissed his appeal on December 7, 2015, a decision now upheld by the Supreme Court.