EFCC Arraigns Public Servants in Jigawa for N45m Diezani Bribe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today November 14, 2017 arraigned the duo of Garba Ismai’l a staff of College of Education Gumel, Jigawa State and Auwal Jibrin a Deputy Director at the Independant Nationall Electoral Commission Dutse, before Justice Ado Yusuf of the Jigawa State High Court sitting in Gumel on a seven count charge of gratification.
Trouble began for them when their names came up in the ongoing investigation of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Alison Madueke over the alleged $115,000,000 (One Hundred and Fifteen Million Dollars) which she disbursed to several politicians and INEC officials on the eve of the 2015 presidential elections.
In the investigation, it was discovered that the accused persons received the sum of N45,000,000 (Forty Five Million Naira Only) from the former minister.
One of the charge read that “ You Auwal Jibrin while being a public servant (Deputy Director, INEC Dutse) sometime in 2015, at Dutse within the jurisdiction of this honourable court dishonesty received the sum of N45,000,000 from Garba Isma’l which you were not authorised to receive and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 122 of the Penal Code”.
When the charge was read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib requested for a trial date in view of the plea of the accused persons.
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Counsel representing the second defendant Saidu Tudunwada pleaded with the court to admit his client to bail on humanitarian and compassionate ground, but Justice Yusuf refused the oral application and asked him to apply properly.
The case was subsequently adjourned to 28 November, 2017 for hearing of bail application and commencement of trial.
The accused persons were remanded in prison custody pending the outcome of their bail application.
In another development, Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja has granted bail to nine suspected fraudsters accused of conspiracy and stealing of workers entitlements to the tune of N293million.
The suspects: Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Johnson Adedokun, Ojeifo Robert Slyvanus, Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji, Florence Olaolu Dada, Olaolu Haruna Dada, Blessing Ejeh and Aderibigbe Isaac Taiwo were said to have breached Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.
The defendants, who pleaded not guilty to the 16 count charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had been in prison custody on the order of the court since November 1 when they were arraigned.
Ruling on their bail application today, Justice Kekemeke admitted each of the accused persons to bail in the sum of N5million with two sureties each in like sum. The sureties must be resident within Abuja metropolis.
Hearing on the matter has been fixed for December 13, 2017.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media and Publicity
14 November, 2017
