The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Wednesday March 5,
2014 re-arraigned Garba Abdullahi Tahir and Charbo Bureau De Change Limited
before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court Abuja, on a 23-count
charge bordering on fraud amounting to N514.9 million allegedly obtained from
the Pension Account, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation of
Nigeria.
One of the counts reads: “That
you Garba Abdullahi Tahir on or about the 13th of July 2009 within
the jurisdiction of this honourable court, obtained for yourself by false
pretences and with intent to defraud, through your Ecobank Plc account various
sums of money amounting in the aggregate to N3,820,800 ( Three Million, Eight
Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira) from the Federal Government
of Nigeria through the Pension Account held by the Office of the Head of
Service of the Federation of Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence contrary
to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences
Act,2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act, 2006.”
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution counsel, Godwin Obla, SAN told the court that he
was ready for trial but asked for a short adjournment to enable him regularize
processes as a result of the amendment and the new practice directive.
The defence counsel, Nicholas Eku, on the other hand asked the court for 21
days to enable him study the new proof of evidence and the amended charge. He,
however, prayed the court to allow the accused to continue to enjoy the bail
earlier granted to him by the court.
Justice Kolawole adjourned the case to April 9, May 7 and 8, 2014
for commencement of trial while the accused is to enjoy the terms of the bail
earlier granted him by the court.
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