One of the exhibits is a Certified-True-Copy of the interim order of forfeiture of 9.8 million dollars in the criminal trial of Mr. Yakubu.
Browsing: Engr. Andrew Yakubu
“Because of the sensitivity of the items we recovered in the house, we took them along with Bitrus down to our office. We then engaged the services of a lock expert to unlock the safe. All these were camera-recorded.”
Mr. Raji told the court that the defendant was undergoing medical treatment before he was summoned by the EFCC to return to the country. He also pleaded with the court to order the release of the defendant’s international passport which was deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court as part of his bail conditions.
Andrew Yakubu was arraigned by the EFCC on the 16th March, 2017 before the Federal High Court, Abuja. His arraignment was sequel to a raid which was carried out by the operatives of the commission on his property located at Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna State and which led to the discovery of the sum of $9,772,000 and £74,000 stashed in fire proof safes.
Yakubu had filed the suit before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja following his arrest on February 8, 2017 and his continued detention by the EFCC with respect to the sums of $9,772,800 and £74,000 recovered from his house in Kaduna on February 3.
Yakubu has been in custody at the Kuje prison since he was arraigned on March 16 before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a 6-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to an affidavit filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), in support of the fundamental rights suit, Yakubu had admitted to be owner of the money but claimed that it was a gift he accumulated over a period of about five years, and not proceeds of crime.
“We suspected that the cash came in between 2012 and 2014 but Yakubu has refused to disclose the sources. Maybe when his trial begins, he will open up in court. We believe he owes it a duty as a citizen to name those who showered the huge gifts on him.”
The Federal government alleged that Yakubu had between 2012 and 2014, without going through a financial institution, received cash payments of $9, 772, 800 and £74, 000, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 and punishable under section 16(2) of the Act.
The EFCC further urged the court to disregard the application on the grounds that it was a ploy by the applicant to frustrate investigation into the matter, adding that the applicant would not be prejudiced by the refusal of this application.
