The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, arraigned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election, and the Director General of her campaign organization at the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja for alleged financial crimes.

The accused the agency identified as Esther Dawaki (candidate) and Shehu Fatange (the campaign DG) are facing prosecution before Justice Emeka Nwite on a five-count charge, bordering on accepting and making cash payments in excess of the amount authorized by law, conspiracy, and money laundering to the tune of ?26 million.

Count one of the charge read, “That you, Esther Ashivilli Dawaki (F) and other, now at large on or about 16th of August, 2025 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did procure one Shehu Aliyu Fatange (M) to commit an offence to wit: accepting cash payment of the sum of N26,000,000.00, without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by the law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(C )(a) and 19(1)(d) of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.”

Another charge read, “That you, Shehu Aliyu Fatange (M) on or about the 16th of August, 2025 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did accept cash payment of the sum of ?26,000,000.00, which exceeds the amount authorized by the law to one Esther Ashivelli Dawaki (F) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 2(1)(a) and 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.”

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which prosecution counsel, M. O. Arumemi, asked the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in a correctional centre.

While counsel for the defendants, E. N. Ogbu and A. A. Ashat, made oral applications for their bail.

They asked that the defendants be remanded in the EFCC’s holding facility, pending determination of the bail applications.

But Justice Nwite ordered the remand of Dawaki, the first defendant in the Suleja Correctional Centre, while he ordered that Fatange, the second defendant, be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre.

He adjourned the matter till Monday, September 15, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application.

The suspects were arrested on August 16, 2025, following intelligence that allegedly exposed them to have possessed the sum of ?26,463,000.00, which they kept inside a Toyota Corolla 2010 model, belonging to Shehu and packed within a hotel premises in Kaduna.

While Fatange upon arrest, identified himself as the director general of the campaign office of the PDP flag-bearer in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election, which was held on the same August 16, 2025, EFCC said the sum was suspected to have been earmarked for vote buying in the said election. (Channels TV)