The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday, arraigned Esther Dawaki and Shehu Fatange before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged financial crimes.
The duo are facing prosecution on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and accepting or making cash payments in excess of the amount permitted by law, involving the sum of ₦26 million (twenty-six million naira).
Recall, on August 26, the Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna State raised alarm over the detention of its Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency bye-election candidate, Esther Dawaki, and the party’s Campaign Director General, Shehu Fatangi, by the EFCC.
Dawaki was reportedly invited by the EFCC on Monday, August 25, and was held in custody, while Fatangi had been detained for 12 days despite meeting bail conditions.
The PDP State Chairman Edward Masha described the arrests as part of a broader attempt to suppress opposition voices ahead of the August 16 bye-election, criticized the disruption of the party’s campaign activities, and called for the immediate release of both members, warning that failure to do so could compel the party to mobilize peaceful demonstrations, while urging EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede to intervene.
In a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC said “the suspects were arrested on August 16, 2025, following credible intelligence”.
The statement further added that, “They were allegedly found in possession of ₦26,463,000 (twenty-six million, four hundred and sixty-three thousand naira), which was discovered in a 2010 Toyota Corolla belonging to Fatange and parked at a hotel premises in Kaduna”.
The EFCC further alleged that Fatange identified himself at the point of arrest as the Director-General of the campaign organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency bye-election, held on the same day. The funds were suspected of having been set aside for vote buying.
One of the charges against them reads, “That you, Esther Ashivelli Dawaki (F) 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 (M) to commit an offence, to wit: accepting cash payment of the sum of ₦26,000,000.00 (twenty-six million naira) without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 21(c)(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.”
Another charge states, “That you, Shehu Aliyu Fatange (M), on or about 16 August 2025, at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did accept cash payment of the sum of ₦26,000,000.00 (twenty-six million naira), which exceeded the amount authorised by law, from one Esther Ashivelli Dawaki (F), thereby committing 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.”
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Following their not guilty plea, prosecution counsel M. O. Arumemi requested a trial date and that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility.
Counsel to the defendants, E. N. Ogbu and A. A. Ashat, raised no objections but made oral applications for bail, asking the court for a short adjournment and for the defendants to be held temporarily at EFCC custody pending the determination of their applications.
Justice Nwite ordered the remand of Dawaki at the Suleja Correctional Centre, while Fatange was ordered to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre.
The case was adjourned until Monday, September 15, 2025, for the hearing of the bail applications.
