The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned Esther Dawaki and Shehu Fatange before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged financial crimes.
The couple are charged with five counts of conspiracy, money laundering, and accepting or making cash payments beyond the legal limit, totaling ₦26 million.
On August 26, the Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna State expressed concern over the EFCC’s imprisonment of its Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency bye-election candidate, Esther Dawaki, and the party’s Campaign Director General, Shehu Fatangi.
The EFCC reportedly invited Dawaki on Monday, August 25, and remanded him in jail, while Fatangi was detained for 12 days despite meeting bail requirements.
The PDP State Chairman, Edward Masha, described the arrests as part of a larger attempt to silence opposition voices ahead of the August 16 bye-election, criticized the disruption of the party’s campaign activities, and demanded the immediate release of both members, warning that failure to do so would force 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 stated that “the suspects were arrested on August 16, 2025, following credible intelligence.”
The PDP State Chairman, Edward Masha, described the arrests as part of a larger attempt to silence opposition voices ahead of the August 16 bye-election, criticized the disruption of the party’s campaign activities, and demanded the immediate release of both members, warning that failure to do so would force 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 stated that “the suspects were arrested on August 16, 2025, following credible intelligence.”
The statement also 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 also claimed that Fatange identified himself at the time of detention as the Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate’s campaign organization in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency byelection, which was held on the same day. The cash was alleged to have 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 offense, to wit: accepting a 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 authorized by law, thereby committing an offense contrary to Sections 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 authorized by law, from one Esther Ashivelli Dawaki (F), thereby committing an offense 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.”
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Following the defendants’ not guilty plea, prosecuting attorney M. O. Arumemi requested a trial date and that they be remanded in a detention facility.
Counsel for the defendants, E. N. Ogbu and A. A. Ashat, raised no objections but made oral bail applications, asking the court for a brief adjournment and for the defendants to be remanded briefly in EFCC custody pending the outcome of their applications.
Justice Nwite sent Dawaki to the Suleja Correctional Centre and Fatange to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The case was adjourned to Monday, September 15, 2025, to hear the bail applications.
