The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in its continued prosecution of persons involved in an alleged fraud of N500m, on Thursday, arraigned four other persons at the Federal High Court, Bauchi over an alleged fraud to the tune of N316.71m.
The EFCC had, on Wednesday, arraigned the Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Babayo Gamawa, and five others over an alleged N500m fraud.
Gamawa is a former Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, ex-deputy governor and Senator representing the Bauchi North Senatorial District in the Senate.
Others arraigned along with him were Ibrahim Dandija, an SSG under ex-governor Isa Yuguda for six years, Aliyu Jalam, Dahiru Madaki, Alhaji Sanusi Isa and Aminu Hamayo, who was at a time the state’s Commissioner for Finance and ex-SSG.
The Gombe Zonal Office of the EFCC on Thursday, arraigned Garba Dahiru, a one-time Commissioner for Finance, under ex-governor Yuguda, and one Haliru Abdullahi, on two counts of conspiracy and cash disbursement of N174.31m, which exceeds the limit required by law.
This, the EFCC said, was contrary to section 1, 16 (1) (d) and punishable by under 16 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering Act of 2011 as amended.
When the case was read to the defendants, they both affirmed that they understood the cases brought against them but pleaded not guilty.
The counsel for the EFCC, Abubabakar Aliyu, told the court that since the defendants pleaded not guilty, the case should be adjourned till October 17, 2018, to enable the agency to bring witnesses.
Counsel for the defendants, Patrick Owoicho, pleaded with the judge to grant his clients bail.
source: punch
