By. Olawale Lamina
A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has admitted into evidence the written statement of Mr. Samuel Aruwan, the third Prosecution Witness, PW3, in the ongoing money laundering case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ,ICPC, against Mr. Jimi Lawal and three others.
Mr. Lawal, a former Senior Special Adviser/Councilor to the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, is standing trial alongside the former Accountant-General of the State, Mr. Umar Waziri, and the former Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Yusuf Inuwa, over allegations of abuse of office and diversion of public funds through fraudulent estacode payments. Also joined in the suit is Solar Life Nigeria Limited, a company whose account allegedly received the diverted funds.
In the case marked FHC/KD/16C/2025, ICPC accused the defendants of conspiring to divert the total sum of ₦64,800,562.00 (Sixty-Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty-Two Naira) in three tranches of ₦10,000,000.00, ₦47,480,000.00, and ₦7,320,562.00 into the account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, where Mr. Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory.
During the proceedings, the prosecution presented three witnesses, including former Kaduna Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs. Aisha Dikko Kalil, Former Head of Service in the State, Mrs. Bariyatu Yusuf, and former Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan.
The three witnesses have so far denied receiving estacodes from Mr. Lawal, who had claimed that the contentious ₦64,800,562.00 were earmarked as estacodes for the trainings embarked on by the former Senior officials of the Kaduna State government.
Mr. Aruwan, in his testimony, specifically stated that his professional trainings were sponsored by the United States Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and not the Kaduna State Government. He further clarified that although he was professionally acquainted with Mr. Lawal, he neither received estacode allowances from him nor from the State Government.
Following his testimony, ICPC’s prosecution team sought to tender Mr. Aruwan’s written statement as evidence. The defence objected on procedural grounds, arguing that the statement was obtained during the pendency of the trial.
In his ruling, Honourable Justice R. M. Aikawa dismissed the objection, holding that PW3 was not an interested party in the matter.
The Court therefore admitted the statement as evidence, marked Exhibit 9, and allowed the prosecution to conclude its examination-in-chief.
Subsequently, when the matter was called for cross-examination, counsel to the 2nd defendant, J. J. Usman, SAN, who was represented by a junior from his chambers, sought an adjournment on the ground of his absence.
The Court consequently adjourned the case to 3rd November 2025 for cross-examination and continuation of hearing.
The ICPC stated that it is prosecuting the case as part of its sustained efforts to promote integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of public funds across all levels of government.
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