The former appointees are Umar Waziri, the ex-accountant general of Kaduna State; Lawal Shakiru Olajimi Adebisi, a former Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to El-Rufai; and Yusuf Inuwa, the former Finance Commissioner in the state.
According to The Guardian, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, whose bank account is believed to have received the diverted funds, is also joining the suit.
Why El-Rufai former aides dragged to court
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Kaduna Judicial Division, ICPC accuses Mr Lawal of conniving with the two other accused persons to divert a total sum of N64,800,562 (Sixty-Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira) in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and N7,320,562 to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, where Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory.
The four accused are expected to appear in court on Friday, January 17, 2025, to plead their case.
It would be recalled that last week, ICPC, in a separate charge, arraigned the former Chief of Staff and Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, for a money laundering suit.
ICPC, in a two-count, also filed before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, accused Sa’idu of accepting a cash payment of N155,000,000 from Ibrahim Muktar, a public officer in the Ministry of Finance.
When did El-Rufai political problems start?
El-Rufai has been facing a series of legal battles since he left the office of the government. The Kaduna State Assembly have set up a committee to investigate financial activities under his administration.
Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, a former commissioner of finance under El-Rufai, recently implicated the former governor in a confessional statement. He is facing prosecution for the sales of $45 million in hard currency belonging to the Kaduna government at a significantly undervalued rate.
In the confessional statement made by Sa’idu, El-Rufai would direct how much to convert and that bids from various buyers were obtained, often at higher rates than those available in the parallel market.
El-Rufai ally lands in court
Legit.ng earlier reported that the ICPC has filed fresh charges against Muhammad Bashir Saidu, the former chief of staff to the immediate past Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai.
Saidu, who earlier served as commissioner for finance under el-Rufai, is facing two-count charges of money laundering alongside Ibrahim Muktar, a public officer in the ministry.
The embattled ex-aide to El-Rufai is currently being remanded in prison for sharing fake news about the state of insecurity in the country.