The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the resumption of the N1.35 billion corruption trial involving former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and his two sons, Mustapha and Aminu, overturning a Court of Appeal ruling that had previously freed them.
In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel led by Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar upheld the appeal filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and nullified the July 2023 judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The apex court ruled that the EFCC’s appeal was meritorious and instructed that Lamido and his sons return to the Federal High Court, Abuja, to present their defence.
Lamido, his sons, Aminu Wada Abubakar, and their companies, Bamaina Holdings Limited and Speeds International Limited, are facing a 37-count amended charge involving money laundering and abuse of office.
The EFCC alleges that Lamido, who governed Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015, laundered N1.35 billion in kickbacks from state government contractors.
Previously, the defendants had filed a no-case submission, arguing that the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie case.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court dismissed the application, ruling that sufficient evidence existed for the defendants to enter their defence.
However, the Court of Appeal struck out the charges in July 2023, prompting the EFCC to seek redress from the Supreme Court.
On Friday, the apex court restored the charges and directed the Federal High Court to continue with the trial.
