The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday arraigned one Abubakar Sani who allegedly provided false information that led to the commission raiding the Kaduna house of former vice president, Namadi Sambo in Kaduna three weeks ago.
In a 2-count charged filed against the accused at the Kaduna state High Court, the commission alleged that the accused sometime around June 21, 2017 gave false information to an officer of the commission.
A principal Legal officer and counsel to the Commission, Elijah Akaakohol who read out the charge before Justice Aliyu Tukur said: ” That sometime in 2013 you conveyed a huge sums of money both in the Nigerian and other foreign currencies from Abuja Airport to a house in Ungwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna on the directive of a retired Army officer which money you suspected to be ill-gotten wealth and still laying in boxes in that said house at the moment of your report. And of which you made the officer of the commission of the ICPC to carry out a sting operation that turned out to be false.
“You thereby committed an offence, contrary to, and punishable under section 64 (3) of the corrupt practices and other related offences act 2000” the charge read.
The commission’s counsel also told the court that Abubakar Sani also made a false statement to one Mr Olusegun Adigun, an official of the Commission in the course of the exercise of his duties as a public officer, contrary to section 25(1) and punishable under section 25(1b) of the ICPC act 2000.
The accused who was in court without legal representations however pleaded not guilty of the allegations.
The presiding judge, directed that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case till Thursday, Nov. 2 for hearing.
Before the adjournment, Justice Tukur urged the accused person to get a counsel to stand for him at the next hearing of the case.
It will be recalled that officers of the commission, backed by heavily armed security men raided the Kaduna residence of the former vice president, Namadi Sambo on June 28, 2017 where they carried out a thorough search of the residence.
No incriminating evidence was said to have been found by the anti-corruption operatives.
VANGUARD
