The Kaduna State High Court has denied Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, former chief of staff to former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, bail in the money laundering and corruption case filed against him.

The court had adjourned the ruling on a bail application for Sa’idu till Thursday 16th January 2025. However, when the case came up on Thursday, the former Chief of Staff was denied the bail.

The court delivered a ruling on the application refusing the bail principally on the ground that, a formal charge had been filed at the Kaduna State High Court II against Sa’idu.

The Court asked the Applicant to go to the court where the charge is filed and pending, to apply for bail.

Kaduna State Director of Public Prosecution, Samson Irimiya, who represented the state government in court told Journalists after court proceedings that, the arraignment of the former Chief of Staff Will be coming up on the 21st January, 2025, before Justice Isa Aliyu.

According to Irimiya, “The bail application ruling was delivered refusing the bail application principally on the ground that since a formal charge had been filed by us, it is better that the Applicant goes to the court where the charge is filed and pending to apply for bail.”

Counsel to Sai’du, Oladipo Tolani (SAN), also confirmed that the Court directed that, they should take the bail application to the court where the proper charges have been filed.

Sa’idu, a former Commissioner of Finance, was initially dragged to the Kaduna State High Court for money laundering.

The prosecution further alleged that the N3.9 billion discrepancy was laundered by Sa’idu, in violation of Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

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