The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a five-count charge of unlawful diversion of public funds and money laundering against Jimi Lawal, a former senior councillor and adviser to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Lawal was charged alongside Umar Waziri, Yusuf Inuwa and Solar Life Nigeria Limited for alleged financial misappropriation.
The charge number, FCH/KD/16c/2025, was filed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Osuobeni Akponimisingha on January 15, 2025, at the federal high court in Kaduna.
In the charge sheet, the ICPC alleged that Jimi Lawal sometime in 2018, indirectly took control of the sum of N10,000,000 from the Kaduna State Accountant General Operational Account Nigeria 0211139802 via the Guaranty Trust Bank Account Automated System (GAPS) and paid it into the Guaranty Trust Bank Account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory.
The commission said, “Lawal ought to have known that the funds were part of proceeds of corruption, and by doing so, he allegedly committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022”.
The ICPC also accused Lawal of indirectly taking control of N47,840,000 from the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance through GTB Account number 0130133086 in July 2018.
In another count, ICPC alleged that Jimi Lawal in September 2018, while serving as a public officer in Kaduna State as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to Governor El-Rufai, took control of N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service account domiciled in United Bank for Africa account number 10200067882, and later transferred it to Guaranty Trust Bank Account number 0130133086 of Solar Life Nigeria Limited.
In another count, Lawal was accused of making false statements to Messrs Wellington Nkemadu and Gudi Johnson Daniel during their investigative duties.
According to the charge, Lawal claimed that the total sum of N64,800,562 received in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000 and N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Government through the Guaranty Trust Bank Account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, was paid to Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and Aisha Dikko as estacode.
The ICPC, however, insisted that the accused “knew that the statement was false and in doing so, committed an offence contrary to Section 25(1) (a) and punishable under Section 25(1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
