The Kaduna State High Court has deferred the bail hearing for Bashir Sa’idu, the former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai, to Thursday, January 23, 2025.
According to Vanguard, Sa’idu, who also held the position of Commissioner for Finance during El-Rufai’s tenure, is facing a 10-count indictment filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The charges include allegations of embezzlement, theft, and money laundering.
The ICPC accused Sa’idu of selling $45 million belonging to the Kaduna State Government at a rate of ₦410 per dollar, significantly lower than the parallel market rate of ₦498.
This transaction allegedly caused a loss of ₦3.96 billion to the state. The prosecution further claims that the funds were laundered, violating the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Sa’idu has denied all charges.
His lawyer, M.I. Abubakar, requested the court to release his client on bail, pointing out that Sa’idu has been in detention since his arrest on January 2, 2025.
However, the prosecution, represented by Prof. Nasiru Aliyu, opposed the request, arguing that the law allows the prosecution up to seven days to submit a response to a bail application.
Presiding over the case, Justice Isa Aliyu ruled that the prosecution should be granted sufficient time to file its response. As a result, the bail hearing has been rescheduled for January 23, 2025.
Until then, Sa’idu will remain in custody as the case continues.
