The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has filed a five-count charge of embezzlement against Jimi Lawal, a former aide to former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

The case, with charge number FCH/KD/16c/2025, was filed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Dr. Osuobeni Ekpi Akponimishingha on January 15, at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

Mr. Jimi Lawal served as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to former governor El-Rufai.

He was charged alongside Umar Waziri, Yusuf Inuwa, and Solar Life Nigeria Limited.

The corruption charges alleged that sometime in 2018, Jimi Lawal ?indirectly took control of the sum of N10,000,000 from the Kaduna State Accountant-General Operational Account and paid it into the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory.?

The ICPC further stated that ?Jimi Lawal ought to have known that the funds were part of the proceeds of corruption.

?By doing so, he allegedly committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.?

In count two of the charges, Jimi Lawal is also accused of ?indirectly taking control of N47,840,000 from the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance bank account in July 2018.?

The ICPC alleged that ?in September 2018, while serving as a public officer in Kaduna State as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to Governor El-Rufai, Jimi Lawal took control of N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Internally Generated Revenue account?, adding that ?the funds were said to have been domiciled in a bank account and later transferred to the another bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory?.

According to the ICPC , the former aide to the ex-governor ?ought to have known the funds were proceeds of an unlawful act of corruption, which contravenes Section 18(2)(d) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.?

In another count, the ICPC alleged that in October 2024, the accused ?made false statements to Messrs Wellington Nkemadu and Gudi Johnson Daniel during their investigative duties?.

?Jimi Lawal claimed that the total sum of N64,800,562 ? received in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Government through the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited? was paid to Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and Aisha Dikko as estacode.?

The ICPC said that Lawal ?knew the statement was false and, in doing so, committed an offence under Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.? (Vanguard)

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