Shehu Sani vs. ASD Motors: EFCC contradicts its statement in court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a twist fatally contradicted its statement against Senator Shehu Sani at Wednesday’s resumed hearing in case the former lawmaker was being prosecuted at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The former lawmaker and human rights activist, Shehu Sani was being prosecuted at the Federal High Court presided by Justice Inyang Ekwo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over aledged $25,000 offered him by the proprietor of ASD Motors, Alhaji Sani Dauda some time in 2019.

The anti-graft agency, who’s prosecution counsel asserted in Court on Tuesday that Senator Sani was being prosecuted for $10,000 which was later reflected on the agency’s official twitter handle at Wednesday’s hearing disputed, while asked the presiding judge to disregard the twitter publication.

Justice Ekwo, explained that Court proceeding was conducted openly and the essence was to allow journalist access to proceedings.

Armed with the contradictory statement, Shehu Sani’s legal team, Mike Ozekhome, representative of Femi Falana Chambers, sought to know if the accused was being prosecuted for $25,000 or $10,000 which was the crux of Tuesday’s Court proceedings.

Wednesday’s hearing had witnesses cross examined by the prosecution and defense counsels.

A star witness from the Guarantee Trust Bank admitted in the open Court after taken an oath that: “he transferred money from ASD Motors account to one, Mr. Abubakar.

After being asked to be emphatic if it was Senator Shehu Sani’s account, he said ” no.”

He said: “My Lord, again, I say, the money in question was transferred to a domiciliary account belonging to Abubakar and not Shehu Sani.

A Bureau de change operator, Abubakar Ahmed who also testified at the instance of EFCC, saying that, “the son of ASD Motors did call him sometime in November, 2019 to their family house in Maitama to change the foreign currency which he did.”

The Bureau de change operator further told the Court that he has never seen Senator Sani in life when he asked to identify him and to tell the Court if he ever change foreign currencies to local currency for him.

Lawyers from the National Human Rights Commission, and the Amnesty International were in Court as observers.

Both Counsels consented to a rescheduled hearing on 5th May, 2020.