Yusuf Agabi, a former governorship aspirant in Nassarawa State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been formally arraigned before Justice Husseini Baba of the Federal Capital Territory.
The arraignment of the accused person with four others were earlier in the year adjourned due to the absence of Agabi, who was on a lesser hajj to
Saudi Arabia.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), secured a leave to arraign Agabi and four others for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N100million from the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and preffered a 46 count charge against them.
When the charges were read out to them, the accussed persons pleaded not guilty, upon which they sought for bail through a motion, filed by their respective counsels.
Justice Baba subsequently granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety who must at least be a Deputy Director in the federal civil service resident in Abuja.
Agabi while being a public officer as a Director of Finance at the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, was alleged to have received for himself the sum of N100 million belonging to the Federal Government from one Kabiru Paloma, knowing same to have been obtained fraudulently from the bank account of the Ministry, an offence contrary to Section 13 and punishable under section 68 of the
Corrupt Practices Act 2000.
He was also alleged to have on seperate occassions in 2013, collected a total sum N400 million from same Paloma, the sum of N50 million from Daniel Obah and another sum of N8.9 million from Babadoko Mohammed obtained fraudulently from the accounts of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
Akpore Okeroghene who was a Deputy Director of Finance at the ministry was also accused of receiving the sum of N25million at separate ocassions and through a proxy, Kabiru Paloma as well as N6million and N2 million respectively from one Nuhu Gadu and Solomon Sunday Tom.
The third accussed person, Ayinla Abibu was also alleged to have received the sum of N60 million through a proxy Zeocat Nig LTD, with which he used to build a house at Ogbomosho, Oyo state for himself.
He was alleged to have received a total of N91.4million through a proxy, Joykings Nig LTD.
Idowu Adewale, a deputy director of accounts in the ministry, was also said to have received the sum of $100,000 from Kabiru Paloma as well as using documents to wit: payment vouchers of the ministry which were defective in material particular and designed to mislead his principal for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining various sums of money from his principal.
Ntu Ngozi, Deputy Director (Accounts) also received a total sum of N10.25 million from one Solomon Sunday Tom in March and October 2014.
The arraignment of the accussed persons follows a petition written to the Chairman of the ICPC from the office of the Permanent Secretary from the ministry titled “case of an unauthorized withdrawal of the sum of N605,073,540.00 from the ministry of Niger Delta affairs’ 2014 constituency project account with Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja”, upon which investigation was commenced and the leakages unravelled.
The matter was adjourned to October 7, 2015 for hearing.
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