THIRY-FOUR-year old son of Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, Aminu Lamido, who stood trial for money laundering was granted bail on Wednesday by a Federal High Court sitting in Kano.
Aminu was arrested by operatives of the Economic and financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano on December 11, 2012 on his way to Cairo, Egypt. He was arrested for failure to declare the $50,000 in his possession. He only declared $10,000 to the Nigerian Customs.
After considering the bail application, Justice Fatu Riman ruled that Aminu would not interfere with the investigation because the accused was originally granted administrative bail by EFCC on December 13, 2012.
Justice Riman acknowledged that the accused did not jump bail and has been reporting to the EFCC whenever he is requested to do so. Although the EFCC counsel, S. H. Sa’ad opposed the bail proposition, he did not dispute defendant’s argument that Aminu had complied with terms of his administrative bail at the agency.
Aminu was granted bail in the sum of N8million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be civil servants of not less than grade level 14.
The charge against the accused reads: “that you Aminu Sule Lamido on or about 11th day of December, 2012 at the Mallam Aminu International Airport, Kano within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while transporting in cash, the sum of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) from Nigeria to Cairo, Egypt, falsely declare to the Nigerian Customs the sum of $10,000 (Ten Thousand Dollars Only) instead of the said sum of $50,000 (Fifty Thousand Dollars Only) as required under Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011”.