The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on
Monday accused the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr.
Dimeji Bankole, and his ex-deputy, Alhaji Usman Nafada, of securing a
total of N32.43bn loans from banks to pay unlawful ‘allowances and
running costs’ to members of the House.
It added in a 17-count charge filed against the two former most senior officers of the House that they also obtained and disbursed another N5.49bn loan in August 2010 on “urgent recurrent expenses.”
The N32.43 loans, according to the anti-corruption agency, were secured from two commercial banks between October 2010 and last month to service the outrageous ‘allowances and running costs’ which Nigerians have dubbed “jumbo pay.”
It said in the charge sheet that Bankole and Nafada, had through their actions, violated the approved Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria 2009.
The offences, according to the EFCC, are contrary to Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 315 of the same Act.
When the 17 offences were read to Bankole and Nafada at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, where they were arraigned by the EFCC, they pleaded not guilty.
Before their arraignment, the former speaker had been granted a N5m bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja where he is standing trial over the alleged misappropriation of N894m through contract inflation.
Delivering his ruling on Bankole’s bail application, Justice Donatus Okorowo had overruled the objections of the EFCC counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo, on the grounds that no sufficient materials were placed before him to warrant the denial of the bail request.
Specifically, the judge held that the entire documents tendered by the prosecution failed to meet the requirements of the Evidence Act and the constitution.
He also stated that apart from the offence been bailable in nature, Nigeria operates a constitution which presumes an accused person innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Okorowo consequently adjourned the matter to July 25 and 27 for commencement of trial.
But as Bankole stepped out of the court, he was rearrested by EFCC operatives and taken to an FCT High Court.
Nafada wore a Navy blue caftan and an ox blood cap to match while the former speaker was in a white caftan.
Looking worried and exhausted, the former deputy speaker walked with difficulty into the dock where their offences were read to him and Bankole.
Prior to his arrest, Nafada had been involved in an auto crash on his way to honour the invitation extended to him by the EFCC.
Desperate efforts by the counsel to the two accused persons, Mr. Solomon Awomolo (SAN), to secure their bail failed as Justice Sulaiman Belgore insisted that he would not grant oral application.
Awomolo consequently requested for an adjournment to enable him bring a formal bail application.
But there was a mild drama as Awomolo and Keyamo duelled on whether it was the EFCC or the Nigerian Prison Service that should take custody of the accused persons.
Keyamo had asked the court for an order remanding them in prison custody. He cited the lack of space in EFCC custody as reason.
He also explained that given the health condition of Nafada, the EFCC might not have the medical facilities to care for him.
But Awomolo who had earlier conferred with his clients insisted that they should be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
Another issue of disagreement between the two lawyers was the choice of date for argument on the bail application.
While Awomolo wanted it on Tuesday (today), Keyamo insisted on Friday.
But in his short ruling, Belgore adjourned the case till Thursday June 16 for argument on the bail application.
He directed that the accused persons be remanded in EFCC custody.
Count one of the offences listed against them reads, *That you, Dimeji Bankole and Usman Nafada, being principal officers of the House of Representatives, on or about May 12, 2010, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the FCT, did agree amongst yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: criminal breach of trust by agreeing to approve the allowances and/or running costs of members of the House in violation of the approved Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2009 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 315 of the same Penal Code Act.
The other offences read:
* That the two principal officers sometime around January 2011, dishonestly used the House bank account number 00390070000018 with the United Bank of Africa Plc to obtain a N10. 38bn loan to augment allowances and “running costs” of members of the House.
* That Bankole and Nafada, sometime around August 2010, used the same account to obtain a loan of N5.49bn from UBA to “take care of some urgent recurrent expenses” of the House in violation of the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2009.
The offence, said the anti-graft agency, is contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.
* That the two men, sometime around October 2010, dishonestly used the account number 00390070000018 with UBA to dishonestly obtain a N6bn loan from the same bank to augment allowances and running costs of members of the House .
* That sometime around November 2010, they used the said account to dishonestly secure a loan of N4.05bn from the same bank to augment the allowances and running costs of members of the House.
That Bankole and Nafada, also obtained N12bn loan from First Bank of Nigeria Plc in May 2011 to also augment the allowances and running costs of the lawmakers.
By Friday Olokor Courtesy Of: Punch
It added in a 17-count charge filed against the two former most senior officers of the House that they also obtained and disbursed another N5.49bn loan in August 2010 on “urgent recurrent expenses.”
The N32.43 loans, according to the anti-corruption agency, were secured from two commercial banks between October 2010 and last month to service the outrageous ‘allowances and running costs’ which Nigerians have dubbed “jumbo pay.”
It said in the charge sheet that Bankole and Nafada, had through their actions, violated the approved Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria 2009.
The offences, according to the EFCC, are contrary to Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 315 of the same Act.
When the 17 offences were read to Bankole and Nafada at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, where they were arraigned by the EFCC, they pleaded not guilty.
Before their arraignment, the former speaker had been granted a N5m bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja where he is standing trial over the alleged misappropriation of N894m through contract inflation.
Delivering his ruling on Bankole’s bail application, Justice Donatus Okorowo had overruled the objections of the EFCC counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo, on the grounds that no sufficient materials were placed before him to warrant the denial of the bail request.
Specifically, the judge held that the entire documents tendered by the prosecution failed to meet the requirements of the Evidence Act and the constitution.
He also stated that apart from the offence been bailable in nature, Nigeria operates a constitution which presumes an accused person innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Okorowo consequently adjourned the matter to July 25 and 27 for commencement of trial.
But as Bankole stepped out of the court, he was rearrested by EFCC operatives and taken to an FCT High Court.
Nafada wore a Navy blue caftan and an ox blood cap to match while the former speaker was in a white caftan.
Looking worried and exhausted, the former deputy speaker walked with difficulty into the dock where their offences were read to him and Bankole.
Prior to his arrest, Nafada had been involved in an auto crash on his way to honour the invitation extended to him by the EFCC.
Desperate efforts by the counsel to the two accused persons, Mr. Solomon Awomolo (SAN), to secure their bail failed as Justice Sulaiman Belgore insisted that he would not grant oral application.
Awomolo consequently requested for an adjournment to enable him bring a formal bail application.
But there was a mild drama as Awomolo and Keyamo duelled on whether it was the EFCC or the Nigerian Prison Service that should take custody of the accused persons.
Keyamo had asked the court for an order remanding them in prison custody. He cited the lack of space in EFCC custody as reason.
He also explained that given the health condition of Nafada, the EFCC might not have the medical facilities to care for him.
But Awomolo who had earlier conferred with his clients insisted that they should be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
Another issue of disagreement between the two lawyers was the choice of date for argument on the bail application.
While Awomolo wanted it on Tuesday (today), Keyamo insisted on Friday.
But in his short ruling, Belgore adjourned the case till Thursday June 16 for argument on the bail application.
He directed that the accused persons be remanded in EFCC custody.
Count one of the offences listed against them reads, *That you, Dimeji Bankole and Usman Nafada, being principal officers of the House of Representatives, on or about May 12, 2010, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the FCT, did agree amongst yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: criminal breach of trust by agreeing to approve the allowances and/or running costs of members of the House in violation of the approved Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2009 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 315 of the same Penal Code Act.
The other offences read:
* That the two principal officers sometime around January 2011, dishonestly used the House bank account number 00390070000018 with the United Bank of Africa Plc to obtain a N10. 38bn loan to augment allowances and “running costs” of members of the House.
* That Bankole and Nafada, sometime around August 2010, used the same account to obtain a loan of N5.49bn from UBA to “take care of some urgent recurrent expenses” of the House in violation of the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2009.
The offence, said the anti-graft agency, is contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.
* That the two men, sometime around October 2010, dishonestly used the account number 00390070000018 with UBA to dishonestly obtain a N6bn loan from the same bank to augment allowances and running costs of members of the House .
* That sometime around November 2010, they used the said account to dishonestly secure a loan of N4.05bn from the same bank to augment the allowances and running costs of members of the House.
That Bankole and Nafada, also obtained N12bn loan from First Bank of Nigeria Plc in May 2011 to also augment the allowances and running costs of the lawmakers.
By Friday Olokor Courtesy Of: Punch
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