EFCC arraigns police officer, three others over plot to swindle Benue governor of $3m

Four accused persons who allegedly conspired to defraud Benue state Governor,Gabriel Suswan of US$3million,will on May 15 know their fate as  Justice E. N. Kpojime of the Benue State High Court, sitting in Makurdi, has fixed the matter for definite trial.

The accused persons were last week arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), following their arrest.

They  are Mark Gbaa (alias Nasiru Nasamu), Ezekiel Ajik Azi, Bulus Ashom Agwom and Nuhu Bawa Atangs.

All were arraigned on a six count charge of impersonation, forgery and criminal conspiracy to obtain  US$3m  from Governor Suswan.

For instance, one of the six count-charge reads: “That you Mark Gbaa, alias Nasiru Nasamu, Ezekiel Ajik Azi, Bulus Ashom Awom and Nuhu Bawa Atangs, between January and February 2013, at Makurdi, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Benue State with intent to defraud, conspired to obtain the sum of three million United States Dollars ($3,000,000) from one Hon. Gabriel Suswan, the Executive Governor of Benue State, when you falsely presented yourselves as officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who were investigating the Benue State Local Government Account and other pending cases which representation you knew were false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and Other Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same act."

According to the anti-graft agency, the quartet allegedly conspired to falsely present themselves as the EFCC's officials, saddled with the responsibility to probe the financial status of the Benue State Local Governments over an alleged corrupt practice.

Specifically, the accused persons  approached the government, allegedly claiming to have uncovered some sharp practices on the councils' accounts,would help ''kill the case'' only on the grounds that the governor would be ready to part with $3m.

This, the principal accused person, Bulus Ashom Agom, who was allegedly dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force in June 2012, allegedly forged a  Police warrant of arrest card no 35231 which he allegedly presented to the governor.

But apparently sensing a fowl play, Governor Suswan alerted the Department of State Security, DSS which sprouted a trap, arrested and handed them over to the EFCC.
Although the the accused persons who made statements at the EFCC office, detailing what actually transpired, leading to the arrest of others, they however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, after their plea of not guilty,  J. O. Uzor, prosecuting the accused persons on behalf of the Federal Government, asked the court to remand them in prison custody pending trial.

Although Uzor's request was countered by the defence, being led by E. A. Kume, the court granted his request for the bail of the accused persons.

Justice Kpojime, however allowed them home on bail  in the sum of N200,000 each and  sureties  in the like sum, insisting that the sureties  must be  civil servants in the service of the Benue State Government who must not be less than grade level 12.

Besides, the judge said the  sureties and the accused persons must deposit their passport photographs with the court as condition for the bail. The case was adjourned to May 15, 2013 for trial.

Nigerian Compass