Court remands 3 JAMB staff over N36m swallowed by snake
Andrew Orolua, Abuja
Justice Peter Afen of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Friday ordered Yakubu Jekada, Samuel Sale Umoru and Philomina Chieshe to be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The three defendants, who are staff of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), were arraigned before the judge following their claims that the sum of N36 million from proceeds of sale of e- facility cards entrusted to them was swallowed by a mysterious snake.
When the eight-count charge preferred against Samuel Sale Umoru and Philomina Chieshe was read to them in the court, they pleaded not guilty. Yakubu Jekada also pleaded not guilty to four count charge against him.
The court could not take a separate four- count charge against another suspect, but related with the matter, due to the fact that the time was fast spent.
Prosecution counsel, Ekene Iheanacho then urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable the prosecution call its witnesses, but Justice Afem said that since there are three separate charges and since the court has dealt with two of them, he will adjourn till Monday to take the remaining one.
He therefore adjourned the matter to June 3. Consequently, the judge ordered Samuel Sale Umoru and Philomina Chieshe to be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
Parts of the eight- count charge read thus: That you, Philomina Chieshe, sometime in June 2016, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, being legally bound to furnish the management of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) information on the financial status of the JAMB between 2015 and 2016,
stated that the sum of N36, 510, 500 being value of the shortfall of unremitted e-JAMB cards disappeared as a result of manipulation from the Kingdom of Darkness, which claim you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 139(a) of the Penal Code Law;
That you, Samuel Sale Umoru and Philomina Chieshe, sometime in June 2015, in Benue State within the jurisdiction of this honorable court while respectively being the State Coordinator and the Clerical Officer of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Zonal Office, Makurdi, corruptly gave the sum of N48,500 (Forty Eight Thousand Five Hundred Naira) to Ibrahim Oba, a staff from Abuja Office of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB),
in order to forbear the said Ibrahim Oba from properly auditing the financial records of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Benue Zonal Office and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 17 (1) (b) and punishable under section 17(1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act, 2000.
While the four count charge against Yakubu Jekada read as follows: That you Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) zonal office, Plateau State and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit;
11,189 units of e- facility cards of JAMB committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said properties when you disposed of the cards without duly rendering accounts of the disposals to JAMB and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Panel Code Law.
Count 2, That you Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)zonal Office, Plateau State dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N11, 189,000.00
belonging to JAMB, an agency of the federal government of Nigeria and you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Panel Code and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.
Count 3, That you, Yakubu Jekada between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)zonal Office, Lokoja in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit;
N11,189,000 million being proceeds realized from the sales of e- facility cards belonging to JAMB committed criminal breach of trust by dishonestly using the said funds and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law.
Count 4, That you Yakubu Jekada, between 2009 and 2016 in Abuja and Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this court while being the State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)zonal Office, Plateau State used your position to confer unfair advantage to yourself
by converting to your own use the sum of N11,189,000.00 being proceeds from the sale of e- facility cards of JAMB and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other related offences Act.2000.
