The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, held that Shamsudeen Mohammed, son of Bauchi State Governor and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, has a case to answer pertaining to nine out of the 20 charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ruled that only the nine charges relating to Shamsudeen’s failure to declare some of his bank accounts and the amount in them, to the EFCC, identity fraud, and forgery, were substantiated with credible evidence to warrant the case advancing to defence stage.
The judge dismissed the rest of the 11 counts relating to money laundering for not being supported with credible evidence by the prosecution.
Dimgba also discharged all Shamsudeen’s four co-defendants, whom he said were not indicted by the evidence led by the EFCC regarding the 11 money laundering counts.
Shamsudeen is facing trial alongside four firms; Bird Trust Agro Allied Ltd, Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd, Diakin Telecommunications Ltd and Bal-Vac Mining Ltd.
The EFCC had alleged that the four companies were used by Shamsudeen to launder over N1.1 billion.
The EFCC also claimed that Shamsudeen resorted to the acquisition of houses within highbrow areas in Abuja which he paid for in cash, to conceal stolen funds at his disposal.
Some of the assets include five plots of land at Asokoro Gardens; House FS 2 B, Green Acre Estate Apo-Dutse, Abuja; House FS 1A, Green Acre Estate, Apo-Dutse; FS 1B, Green Acre Estate, Apo-Dutse, Abuja and House 2A, No. 7, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.
