A former Adamawa State Commissioner for Finance and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, John Elias, has been arraigned before Justice B.B Aliyu of Federal High Court Yola, Adamawa State.
The accused and his three companies -Oil Trust Limited, AL-Akim Investment Nigeria Limited and Da’ama Specialist Hospital- are being prosecuted for conspiracy and unlawful dealing in forfeited property.
The accused person allegedly sold and appropriated some properties, which are under interim forfeiture to the Federal Government.
An evaluation exercise conducted by the EFCC on the forfeited properties revealed that the accused person sold a landed property situated at Galadima Aminu Way, Yola to one Hamid Yusuf for N20 million through his agent, Jibril Mairiga.
He also allegedly gave another property on Atiku Abubakar Way, Yola, Adamawa State,to his brother, Dr. Joel Yohanna, for use as a private hospital.
The former Commissioner is also alleged to have coerced the tenants in another property to be paying their rents to Al-Akim Investment Limited without authorization by the EFCC.
The accused person pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him, with the prosecution counsel, Al’Qasim Ja’afar, asking the court for a trial date.
Justice Aliyu granted the accused person bail in the sum of N5million with a surety in like sum and fixed December 15, 2015 for trial.
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