Corruption: Onamusi Arraigned for Executing Contracts while in Government

For Executing Contracts while in Government ICPC Arraigns Onamusi for Corruption
A former Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Onadeko Onamusi, has been charged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over his alleged involvement in the award and execution of a N68.7 million contract.

Onamusi who was arraigned before Justice C. N. Oji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Apo, Abuja, on an 18-count charge, was accused by the Commission of using his private company, Haines and Baines, to execute several contracts for the National Assembly while working as a Senior Legislative Aide in the same place.

ICPC told the court that several contracts for buying ambulance vehicles, supply of hospital equipment and drugs for Primary Health Centres, as well as construction of classrooms for some selected schools in six communities of Ogun East Senatorial District, were awarded to Haines and Baines, where the Senior Legislative Aide doubles as a Managing Director, an action that violates Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The charge sheet revealed that Onamusi received contracts in November, 2016, from the National Assembly for the construction of blocks of three classrooms at Odogbulu Grammar School, Ogun East; Ijebu Imushin Comprehensive High School, Ijebu East; United Anglican Primary School, Iworo, Ijebu North-East; and St. Barnabas Anglican Primary School, Ilishan/Ikenna, Ogun East, at the total cost of N43.6 million.

His company further got contracts for the supply of hospital equipment, drugs and ambulance vehicles for Community Health Centre, Itele, Ijebu East; Obada Health Centre, Oke-Sopin, Ijebu North; and Obada Health Centre, Ogijo, Sagamu, all in Ogun East Senatorial District, valued at N20.2 million.

The counts read in part, “Hon. Onamusi Onadeko, on or about 4th November, 2016, being employed in the public service as a Senior Legislative Aide in the National Assembly and being the Managing Director of Haines and Baines, Ltd., did knowingly directly acquire a private interest in a contract for the construction of a block of three classrooms at Ijebu Imushin Comprehensive High School, Ijebu East, Ogun East Senatorial District, Ogun State to the tune of N11, 863, 444.16 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

Onamusi did not admit guilt when the counts were read to him. His counsel, Wahab Olatoye pleaded with the court to grant him bail to enable him attend to his health having just returned from England where he had gone to seek medical attention.

However, ICPC counsel, Ephraim Otti, objected to the bail application, citing instances where the accused had earlier jumped administrative bail granted to him by the Commission. He told the court that it took ICPC more than one year to track down the accused.

Justice Oji after listening to the arguments adjourned the matter to 10th December, 2018 for ruling on the bail application but ruled that the accused remain in the custody of his counsel pending the bail ruling.

Signed: Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission
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ICPC nabs Fake Ex-Nigeria Airways Staff
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested one Mr. Emmanuel Eneji, for claiming to be a former employee of the defunct Nigeria Airways.

Mr. Eneji was arrested at the Ministry of Finance, Abuja, venue of the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) where all ex-staff of the non-operational agency have been presenting themselves for verification.

The alleged impostor claimed to have worked as Operations Manager of the Airways in Ghana, and had presented a verification slip that belonged to another.

But checks on his documents and other findings uncovered him to be an impostor, as insiders familiar with the operations of the defunct airways told investigators that the position of Operations Manager in Ghana never existed.

When further probed on the authenticity of his claim, Eneji claimed that he lost his Nigeria Airways Staff Identity Card, including employment letter, letter of promotion from Grade Level 09 to 10 and his letter of disengagement as well as his academic certificates in a fire incident during the Zango Kataf uprising in 1993, at Malali, Kaduna State.

The only document in his possession linking him to the non-operational airways is a photocopy of the Nigeria Airways Training School Certificate.

The suspect also claimed to have used a Police Report and an affidavit for the lost documents to scale through the verification exercise in Lagos, which enabled him to obtain a Verification Slip and a Bio-Data Form from PICA.

He further claimed that one Mr. Ajayi, a staff of the Nigeria Airways Union, issued him the verification number on the list of staff to be verified, that belonged to another person upon the presentation of Police Report and the affidavit.

Investigation on the matter continues and the suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion.

Signed: Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission