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| Samuel |
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 9, 2015
arraigned Bulus Adamu Samuel, former chairman of Shongom Local Government,
Gombe State, now Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the State before
Justice M.G Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe on a 4-count charge
bordering on conspiracy, forgery, contract scam, misappropriation of public
funds, theft and abuse of office.
Samuel, while being the council boss allegedly inflated a contract
for the electrification of 17.5 Km route covering nine villages in the Shongom
Local Government Council awarded to Tican Engineering Company Nigeria Limited
in the sum of Ninety Seven Million, Six Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira (N97,
640,000.00).
Count two of the charge reads: “that you, Bulus
Samuel Adamu (m), on or about the 2nd day of December, 2009 at
Shongom, Shongom Local Government of Gombe State within the jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court while being the Accounting Officer of the said Local
Government Council, to wit: the Chairman, Shongom Local Government Council,
approved and directed the payment of the sum of seventy three million, two
hundred and thirty thousand Naira (73,230,000.00) only to Tican Engineering
Company Nigeria Limited, being 75 percent payment of mobilization fee over a
contract for the rural electrification in Keffi, Kwara, Gangamari, Daja, Gurwa,
Gundale, Bebbulo, Kuka and Damjigiri of the said Local Government and thereby
committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 35 and 58(5) of
the public Procurement Act, 2007 respectively”.
The
accused person pleaded not guilty when to the charge.
In
view of his plea, counsel to EFCC, Nnemeka Omewa prayed the court to fix a date
for hearing and to remand the accused in prison custody.
However,
the defense counsel, A. Malle through an oral application urged the court to
consider the accused for bail.
Justice Umar ordered the accused to be remanded in prison
custody pending the formal application for his bail and adjourned the case to
April 2, 2015 for trial to commence.
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