The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday played an audio recording of some evidence at the resumed trial of the former Senator representing the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The commission first arraigned the former federal lawmaker for an alleged $25,000 bribery in 2019.
Sani was arraigned on a two-count charge of bribery, name-dropping and influence-peddling for allegedly obtaining the money from the Chairman of ASD Group of Companies, Alhaji Sani Dauda, in 2019.
EFCC alleged that the defendant collected the money from Dauda under the false pretence that it would be used to bribe its suspended Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, in order to shield him (the complainant) from investigation and prosecution.
According to the commission, the ex-lawmaker equally used false pretence and collected $15, 000 from Dauda under the guise that the Chief Justice of Nigeria approved that the money should be given to four judges and a prosecutor for them to hands-off his case and that of his estranged in-law, one Abubakar Musa.
Sani had since denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Although the EFCC through its 10th witness, Bako Aliyu, tendered two audio recordings in evidence against the defendant, only one of them was played in court on Monday.
The evidence contained an audio conversation that lasted about 20 minutes, which EFCC said was between Sani and Dauda.
Although the conversation was in Hausa language, the EFCC counsel, Mr. Ekele Iheanacho, told the court that the second tape contained the English translation.
An attempt by the prosecution counsel to play the English version of the said conversation failed due to technical hitches.
Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the case till March 16 for further cross-examination of the witness.
