The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed five counts of money laundering against Jimi Lawal, a former aide to Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State.
Lawal, who served as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to El-Rufai, was charged alongside Umar Waziri, Yusuf Inuwa, and Solar Life Nigeria Limited. This development makes Lawal the second ally of the ex-governor to be charged with corruption by the ICPC.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Lawal laundered a total of N64,800,562 in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and N7,320,562. The ICPC also accused Lawal of making false statements to its investigators, claiming that the funds were paid as estacode to two individuals.
The case was filed at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, with the ICPC seeking to prosecute Lawal and his co-defendants for violating the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act,