Yusuf Agabi, a former governorship aspirant in Nassarawa State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Ntu Ngozi escaped arraignment before Justice Husseini Baba of the Federal Capital Territory, High Court 4.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC), having secured a leave to arraign Agabi and four others for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N605 million from the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, preffered a 46 count charge against the accussed persons.
Agabi could not produce himself in court Thursday as he was said to have travelled for the lesser hajj after being served summons by the ICPC prosecuting counsel Paul Bassi. While the fifth accused was also said to have travelled to her village.
As such, the prosecuting counsel sought the court for a short
adjournment for the accussed persons to be produced in court for their arraignment.
Rotimi Ojo, counsel to the second, third and fourth accussed persons who were present in court did not object to the relief sought by the prosecution, he rather urged the court to allow the accussed persons continue to enjoy the administrative bail granted them by ICPC till they are arraigned.
Justice Baba, the trial judge subsequently granted the prayers as sought and adjourned the matter to September 16 2015 for arraignment of the accused persons.
Yusuf Agabi in the charge sheet, while being a public officer as a Director of Finance at the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, was alleged to have received for himself the sum of N100 million belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria from one Kabiru Paloma, knowing same to have been obtained fraudulently from the bank account of the Ministry, an offence contrary to Section 13 and punishable under section 68 of the Corrupt Practices Act 2000.
He was also alleged to have on seperate occassions in 2013, collected a total …Read More
Source:: New Mail
