L-R: Professor John Ibu and Chief Abukenchi Suleiman and five officials of the Sokoto State Primary Education Pension Board
The Sokoto Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, arraigned five senior officials of the Sokoto State Primary Education Staff Pension Board before Justice Muhammad Muhammad of the Sokoto State High Court, Sokoto, on a 27-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, forgery, criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of the sum of N553,985,624.10 (Five Hundred and Fifty Three Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Five Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Four Naira, Ten Kobo).
In Benue, the anti-graft agency docked the Chairman of Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Professor John Ibu alongside Chief Abukenchi Suleiman and his company, ADB Motors Venters Nigeria Limited before Justice Abdu Dogo of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State on charges of conspiracy and obtaining N24, 650,000 (Twenty-Four Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) by false pretence.
The defendants in the Sokoto case include the Director of Finance and Supply, Hassana Moyi; Secretary, Abubakar Aliyu; Deputy director, Halliru Ahmed; Accountant, Kabiru Ahmed and Dahiru Muhammad Isa, Cashier.
One of the counts reads: “That you Abubakar Aliyu while being the Secretary of Sokoto State Primary Staff Pension Board, Hassana Moyi while being the Director of Finance and Supply, Primary Staff Pension Board, Haliru Ahmed while being the Deputy Director, Finance, Primary Staff Pension Board, Kabiru Ahmed while being the Accountant, Primary Staff Pension Board and Dahiru Muhammad Isa while being the Cashier of Primary Staff Pension Board sometime between 2017 and 2019 in Sokoto, Sokoto State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court while being entrusted with dominion over money for the payment of pension and gratuity, dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N553,985,624.10 (Five Hundred and Fifty Three Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Five Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Four Naira, Ten Kobo) in violation of the mode in which such trust was to be discharged and thereby committed Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Law CAP 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria and punishable under Section 312 of the same Law”.
They pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges. Consequently, the prosecution counsel, S. H Sa’ad, prayed the court to fix a trial date and order accelerated hearing of the matter. But defence counsel, A. Y Abubakar made an oral application for the bail of his clients
Justice Muhammad granted the defendants bail in the sum of N55, 000,000.00k (Fifty Five Million Naira) each and one surety in like sum, who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the Court and possess a landed property.
The matter was adjourned till July 26, 2021 for hearing.
The defendants’ trouble began sometime in 2019 when the Commission received complaints from several primary school pensioners, alleging that since retirement from service, they had yet to be paid their gratuities.
During investigations, one of them was shown a payment voucher allegedly used to pay his gratuity in the sum of N1, 484,012.39, bearing his name and a signature. But he denied receiving the money, and also disowned the signature on the voucher.
In Benue, the culprits allegedly obtained the said sum from the Benue State University Teaching Hospital under the guise of purchasing a Toyota Landcruiser Prado 2018 Model which they never did.
The offence is contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Professor John Ibu, being the Board Chairman, Benue State University Teaching Hospital, you Chief Abukenchi Suleiman, being the Managing Director ADB Motors Ventures Nigeria Ltd and you, ADB Motors Ventures Nigeria Ltd sometime in July, 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud conspired amongst yourselves and obtained the sum of N24,650,000 (Twenty Four Million Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) from the Benue State University Teaching Hospital Board for the purchase of a Toyota Landcruiser Prado 2018 Model under false pretence that you have the capacity to supply which pretence you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act”.
Count two reads: “That you, Professor John Ibu, being the Board Chairman, Benue State University Teaching Hospital sometime in July, 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage to yourself by collecting a bribe, to the tune of N10, 900,000 (Ten Million Nine Hundred Thousand Naira only), from one Chief Abukenchi Suleiman of ADB Motors Ventures Nig. Ltd, on behalf of Atirogo & Sons Enterprises paid into Access bank account Number 0049185884, a company you’re the Managing Director and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 19 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under the same Act”.
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them.
Based on their pleas, prosecution counsel, George Chia-Yakua asked for a trial date and that the defendants be remanded in a Correctional Facility.
However, counsel to the 1st defendant: S. O. Vekuwu moved a motion for the bail of his client on self-recognizance. He informed the Court that his client had been on administrative bail offered by the EFCC.
Counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants, H. F. Okange adopted the position of Vekuwu and prayed the Court to admit her clients to bail on liberal terms.
Justice Dogo, after listening counsel, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N10million each with one surety in like sum.
Surety must be a civil servant on Grade Level 15 and have a fully developed landed property worth N20 million with Certificate of Occupancy. He must also submit two recent passports photographs and original letters of appointment and promotion.
The case was adjourned till September 27, 2021 for the commencement of trial.
