N24.4bn scam: Ex-Minister, others sent back to prison

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Ministries Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

A former Minister of Works, Dr. Hassan Lawal, and his alleged accomplice, Dr. Adeogba Ademola, were on Wednesday sent back to prison custody on the orders of Justice Bilikisu Aliyu of a Federal High Court in Abuja, pending the determination of their bail applications.

The court also ordered that the representatives of the companies involved should drop their travel documents with the court adding that they should not leave the jurisdiction of the court pending the determination of the case.

But the Congress for Progressive Change said the arraignment was politically-motivated.

Speaking with journalists at the end of the proceeding, the National Publicity Secretary of the CPC, Mr Rotimi Fasakin, said, “Our resolve to subject the entire ballot papers used in the recently concluded presidential election to an intense scrutiny at the election tribunal, is making some persons jittery. Consequently, we are expecting more persecution and unprovoked tribulations ahead.

“We do not support corruption neither do we support witch-hunting or unnecessary vendetta. We know the role played by Dr. Lawal in the enthronement of CPC in Nasarawa State and the fact that the incumbent governor was enraged over it and vowed to get at him by all means.”

Justice Aliyu ordered that the accused be remanded in prison shortly after the accused persons pleaded “not guilty” to a 23-count criminal charge preferred against them and six companies by the EFCC.

Lead counsel to the commission, Mr. Wahab Shittu, had listed five persons and 11 companies for arraignment but later moved an oral application for a withdrawal of names of eight of the accused persons from the charge-sheet, who it claimed were at large.

Two of the indicted companies, Nairda Ltd and Siraj Nigeria Ltd, had their foreign representatives in the dock when the charges were read.

But the Judge entered plea of not guilty for the remaining corporate entities, Digital Toll Company, Swede Control Intertek Ltd, Proman Vital Ventures Ltd and Wise Health Services Ltd, after the second accused person, Ademola, declined to stand as their representative.

The names of Okala Phillip Yakubu, Thahal Paul, Peb 04 Nig. Ltd, Lassa Ltd, Odomac Nig. LTI, Hillel Gilboa, Geographical Information System, GIS and Dave Enejoh were struck out from the charge just as the initial 25-count charge was pruned down to 23.

The EFCC alleged that the former Minister connived with the other accused persons to defraud the Federal Government to the tune of about N24.4bn, adding they attempted to conceal the illicit origin of huge sums of monies traced to their individual accounts.

-Punchwp_posts