Alleged N49m fraud: EFCC arraigns director, 4 others
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned the coordinating Director of Guara Water Management Authority, Engineer Ibrahim Babbaji and four others before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory over a fraud of N48 million.
Babbaji Mohammed Admin Sadiq, the Legal Adiviser, Guara Water Management Authority; Oba Justine, Head of Administration; Chorio Wonkan Philips, Salary Officer, National Lottery Trust Fund and Segun Odetoyinbo, Estate Surveyor and Valuer were arraigned before Justice Aliyu Yusuf of FCT High Court 25, Maitama Abuja.
EFCC brought charges against the defendants following a petition written against the Management Staff of Guara Water Management Authority, that revealed the management connived with the owner of a rented apartment located at Utako District, Abuja and inflated the rent from N21million to N48 million.
According to EFCC, the agency under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, entered into a rent agreement for N21million per annual but applied and obtained N98 million from the treasury after inflating the rent to N48 million per annual.
The different from the two-year rent of N98 million they obtained was shared among themselves the anti graft agency alleged.
Upon receipt of the petition, the EFCC swung into action to investigate the allegation.
They were arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N49 million. The alleged offence was committed sometimes in November 2012 in Abuja.
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. In view of their plea, prosecuting counsel, Yetunde Alabi, thereafter, prayed the court for a date for trial to commence in view of their plea.
Counsel for the second defendant, Victor Awal, however, told the court that he had filed an application for bail on behalf of his client.
“The application is dated November 21 and filed on the 22 November 2018, and it is brought pursuant to Section 162 of ACJA and Section 36 and 35(1) of the Nigeria Constitution and the application is to admit my client to bail,” Awal said.
Counsel for the fifth defendant, Adetola Olulenu, also moved the motion for the bail application of his client.
Counsel for the fourth defendant, F.P. Chorio, also applied for bail of his client urging the court to admit his client to bail “on liberal terms, since he had been on administrative bail”.
Justice Aliyu Yusuf, thereafter, admitted the second, fifth and fourth defendants to bail, ordering them to produce two reasonable sureties each, who must produce N20 million bond each, while the first and third defendants be remanded in Suleja Prison pending their bail application .
Matter has been adjourned to January 22, 2019.
