Corruption: Ex Jigawa Gov, Turaki docked, granted bail on tough terms
Ten years after his first arraignment, Saminu Turaki, a former governor of Jigawa State was on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 32-count charge of fraud.
Turaki, a two-term governor is facing multiple charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.
After his was arraigned in 2007, he went into hiding and was subsequently declared wanted by the EFCC, for failing to present himself for trial. A warrant directing the Inspector General of Police or his officers, as well as the EFCC, to arrest him, was also issued by the court.
But attempts to execute the warrant failed, as Turaki remained elusive until July 4, 2017 when operatives of the Commission finally apprehended him at a public function in Abuja.
The defendant who was in the dock to take his plea to a charge filed in July 2007, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
