The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has instituted fresh fraud and money laundering charges against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai and seven other individuals. The charges relate to alleged irregularities in a N10.8 billion closed-circuit television (CCTV) project undertaken during his tenure.
Details of the Charges
The indictment comprises 11 counts, all brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Court documents released to journalists on Wednesday indicate that the case was filed on April 17 at the Federal High Court in Kaduna. This development adds a new dimension to the former governor's ongoing legal battles over financial transactions during his time in office.
Others named in the charges include former Kaduna government official Jimi Lawal; Darwish Mohammad, Senior Vice President of IHS Towers and former Chief Executive Officer of IHS Nigeria; and five companies: Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited, and Noble Coast Resources Limited.
Alleged Offences
In count one, the ICPC alleges that Mr. El-Rufai unlawfully approved the award of an N8.68 billion CCTV contract in December 2015 to Singularity Network Security Limited, a firm that lacked the requisite competence, in breach of procurement laws. Another count states that in September 2020, Singularity Network Security Limited, Mr. Darwish, and Emad Sukker, Vice President and Head of MENA Region at IHS Towers, allegedly received N324.8 million suspected to be proceeds of fraud.
The commission further alleges that in January 2020, the same defendants received another N83.1 million linked to unlawful acts, and also took possession of N18.16 million suspected to be proceeds of fraud. Additionally, the ICPC claims that Mr. Lawal, Singularity Network Security Limited, and Solar Life Nigeria Limited received N925 million linked to fraudulent proceeds in October 2019 and took possession of N65 million derived from unlawful acts in September 2017.
Additional Allegations
In another count, Singularity Network Security Limited and Intercellular Nigeria Limited are accused of receiving N47.5 million suspected to be fraudulent proceeds in October 2019. Similarly, the ICPC alleges that in 2019, Singularity Network Security Limited and one of Mr. El-Rufai's sons, Bashir El-Rufai, who is said to be at large, allegedly received N30 million linked to fraud. However, Bashir El-Rufai is not charged as a defendant but is named as a conspirator in Count 8.
The next two counts focus on funds allegedly received in October 2019. During this period, the commission alleges that Singularity Network Security Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited received N386.2 million as proceeds of unlawful acts and took possession of N23 million linked to fraud. In the final count, the commission alleges that in November 2022, Singularity Network Security Limited and Intercellular Nigeria Limited received N250 million suspected to be proceeds of unlawful acts.
Background of the Case
This case marks the third ICPC has filed against Mr. El-Rufai since March. The ICPC is prosecuting him before the Kaduna State High Court on amended charges, including alleged fraudulent payment of N11 billion to Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited, described by the commission as an unregistered entity, for a light rail project that was never executed. The fresh case comes days after the ICPC re-arraigned him following an amendment of the charges, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The charges at the Federal High Court in Kaduna accuse him of fraud and money laundering related to inflated severance pays after completing his first and second terms as governor in 2019 and 2023, and taking suspicious funds amounting to $817,900.
