A Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja
and presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, today June 7, 2013 remanded Dr Sani Shuaibu Teidi, former
Director of Pensions Account,
Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, in Kuje prison custody
pending hearing on his bail application fixed for July 18, 2013.
Teidi’s remand followed his re- arraignment by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside one Udusegbe Eric Omoefe and
their companies, on a 22-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false
pretence, conspiracy to commit fraud and concealing the illicit origin of
stolen pensions fund, totaling over 18.3 billion naira.
The companies are: Gozinda Enterprises, Bashinta Nigeria
Limited, Haleath Enterprises, Uthatak Nigeria Limited, Krasiva Nigeria Limited,
Badawulu Ventures Limited, Ebunu Attah Investment, Muha Millennium Motors
Limited and Ribaile Petroleum Limited.
One of the counts reads: “That you Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, former
Director, Pensions Accounts, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the
Federation of Nigeria, Udusegbe Eric Omoefe, Gozinda Enterprises, Bashinta
Nigeria Limited, Haleath Enterprises, Uthathak Nigeria Limited, Krasiva Nigeria
Limited and Ribaile Petroleum Limited at various times between 2009 and 2010
within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired together to obtain
by false pretence and with intent to defraud from the Pensions Account, Office
of the Head of the Service of the Federation of Nigeria various sums in the
aggregate amount of N1, 951, 592,000.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty
One Million, Five Hundred and Ninety Two Thousand Naira), and thereby committed
an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud
Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee
Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The accused pleaded not guilty to the 22-count charge when read
to them.
After taking their plea, the prosecution counsel, Godwin
Obla asked for a date to commence trial but counsel to the 1st and 2nd
accused, R.O Adakole, appearing for S .I. Ameh, SAN and Isaiah Opaaji
respectively, applied for bail for their clients.
The case has been adjourned to June 18, 2013 for hearing of
the bail application and July 1, 2, 8 and 9 for commencement of trial with the
judge ordering the accused to be remanded in Kuje prison.
Shuaibu Teidi and nine others
had been standing trial before Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a 24-count charge
for alleged N4.56 billion pension’s scam
They were arraigned,
alongside 30 companies; however the charge was dismissed following the
prosecution’s application to separate the trial of the suspects.
The accused were first arraigned on March 24,
2011, on a 134-count charge for allegedly defrauding the Pensions Account,
Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, of billions of naira.
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