The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned Esther Ashivelli Dawaki, a candidate in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency bye-election in Kaduna State, alongside her campaign director-general, Shehu Aliyu Fatange, over alleged money laundering and vote buying involving ₦26 million.
The pair were docked before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and accepting cash payments above the legal limit.
According to the EFCC, the suspects were arrested on August 16, 2025, after operatives acted on “credible intelligence.”
The anti-graft agency alleged that ₦26,463,000 was found inside a Toyota Corolla belonging to Fatange, which was parked at a hotel in Kaduna.
“The funds were suspected to have been earmarked for vote buying during the bye-election,” EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said in a statement.
At the time of arrest, Fatange reportedly identified himself as the director-general of Dawaki’s campaign organisation under the Peoples Democratic Party.
One of the charges read in court stated: “That you, Esther Ashivelli Dawaki and others now at large, on or about 16 August 2025, at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did procure one Shehu Aliyu Fatange to commit an offence, to wit: accepting cash payment of the sum of ₦26,000,000 without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law.”
Another charge accused Fatange of personally accepting the ₦26m cash payment from Dawaki in violation of sections of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution counsel M. O. Arumemi urged the court to set a trial date and remand the defendants in custody. Defence lawyers, E. N. Ogbu and A. A. Ashat, did not oppose the adjournment but made oral bail applications, requesting that their clients remain in EFCC custody pending the ruling.
Justice Nwite, however, ordered that Dawaki be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre, while Fatange should be held at Kuje Correctional Centre.
The judge adjourned the case until September 15, 2025, for the hearing of the bail applications.