The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two suspects before a federal high court in Abuja over alleged money laundering and vote-buying involving N26 million.
In a statement on Wednesday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the suspects, Esther Dawaki and Shehu Aliyu Fatange, were brought before Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and accepting cash payments above the threshold permitted by law.
Oyewale said they were arrested on August 16, 2025, in Kaduna with N26,463,000, suspected to be earmarked for vote buying during the Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency by-election.
According to the EFCC spokesperson, the money was discovered inside a Toyota Corolla belonging to Fatange, parked within a hotel premises in Kaduna.
Fatange allegedly identified himself as the director-general (DG) of the campaign office of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the by-election.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Esther Ashivilli Dawaki (F), and others, now at large, on or about the 16th of August 2025, at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did procure one Shehu Aliyu Fatange (M) to commit an offence to wit: accepting cash payment of the sum of N26,000,000.00… without going through a financial institution.”
Both defendants pleaded not guilty.
M. O. Arumemi, counsel to the EFCC, applied for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in a correctional facility.
Defence counsel, E. N. Ogbu and A. A. Ashat, opposed the remand applications, requesting that the defendants be kept in EFCC custody pending the determination of their bail applications.
The judge ordered that Dawaki should be remanded at the Suleja correctional centre, while Fatange should be kept at the Kuje correctional centre.
The matter was adjourned to September 15, for the hearing of bail applications.
