Shehu Sani Persuaded Me To Pay Judges N4m – Said Witness In Abuja Court

Former Nigerian Senator who represented the Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani has been accused of persuasion by a prosecution witness, Alhaji Sani Dauda, to give money to some judges to clear his case out of court.

According to the witness during a hearing on Monday, June 6 at the Federal High Court Abuja, Sani had persuaded him to settle four judges each with a million naira over his (Dauda’s) lingering case at the court.

Naija News understands that the former lawmaker is currently standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on bribery and advanced fee fraud filed against him by Nigeria’s antigraft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

At the High court today when the case was mentioned, the judge ordered that two interpreters should be presented for two witnesses for a proper hearing of the case at hand. Speaking through the prosecuting counsel, Abba Mohammed, Dauda narrated how he and his household were arrested months ago by men of the Nigeria police and released in December 2019.

He revealed further that after their release, Senator Sani visited his some to show some sympathy after which demanded to see him privately. According to him, he had a meeting with the lawmaker at his apartment in Maitama, where he told him that he needed to settle judges with money to help clear his case.

He said, “He told me that he spoke to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) on my case.

“He told me to speak to the CJN, but I told him I would also like to see the CJN, but he said that the CJN would not want people visiting his house since security operatives including the Department of State Services, (DSS) were watching who goes in and out.”

“He then made a call, and I spoke to the person on the phone, and the person told me that Sani spoke to him about my case and he has spoken to four judges that when my matter comes to them, they should inform him,” Alhaji Dauda revealed.

He added, “Sani said that there are four judges that we should give N1 million each, but I told him that I was already in this predicament and can’t give out money. He also told me that he was told that Abubakar also had a case at the EFCC and the prosecutor was asking for N1 million, a total of N5 million and I told him I didn’t have money today, and he should come back the next day.”

“I then called a Bureau De Change Operator, Abubakar to bring the money to me,” he said.

However, while the witness was still briefing the court on how he sought for the money as demanded by the lawmaker, the judge expressed his dissatisfaction with the interpreter. Naija News learnt that the interpreter had complained that he finds it difficult to some of the things said by the witness, hence, the judge suspended the hearing.

The judge adjourned further hearing of the case to July 7, 2020, and ordered the provision of another competent interpreter.

Meanwhile, Shehu Sani has alleged some reasons why negotiating with bandits will only result in more mayhem in Nigeria. Sani in a tweet on his microblogging site account, warned the Nigerian government to avoid parleying with bandits, noting that they operate without regards for any government or law.