The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) will re-arraign the former Governor of Adamawa, Murtala Nyako, and his son, Abdul-Aziz, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Sept. 12.The
EFCC had on August 7, 2015, arraigned Nyako, along with his son, Abdul-Aziz, and Zulkifikk Abba, Abubakar Aliyu as well as five firms. They were arraigned on 37 counts of money laundering, involving alleged diversion of over N29 billion belonging to the Adamawa government.
Nyako and his son, who is a serving senator, were arraigned before the late Justice Evoh Chukwu. The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, then re-assigned the case to Abang following the death of Chukwu in June.
The case was initially scheduled to commence afresh by way of re-arraignment on July 7.
However, the court could not sit due to the extension of the Eid-el-Fitri holiday announced by the Federal Government on July 5. When the matter was called, Abang asked counsel to pick an early date after the court’s vacation for re-arraignment. The prosecution, led by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had called six witnesses before Chukwu’s demise. The accused person pleaded not guilty to the 37 count charges. (Independent)