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| Festus |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on
Monday, June 1, 2015 arraigned Orji Chidi Festus, an assistant director
and head, internal audit, National Gallery of Art, Abuja before Justice Bello
Kawu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on a 3-count
charge of obstructing the Commission’s investigation activities, contrary to
Section 38 (2) (a) 0f the EFCC Act 2004.
Festus was docked for failing to produce some suspects
whom he allegedly stood as surety for in a bid to secure their administrative
bail.
The suspects: Hazeez Agbaje Esther, Dayo Jimoh and
Daniel Madu Bwala who are been investigated by the Commission for criminal
conspiracy, breach of trust, obtaining by false pretence and forgery, breached
the terms of the administrative bail granted them as they all disappeared after
they were released on bail.
All efforts to get Festus to produce the suspects
yielded no result.
However, luck ran out of the accused as he came to
bail another suspect who is in the custody of the Commission as check on
Festus’ profile revealed that, he is in the habit of parading himself as a
reliable surety for suspects.
The accused pleaded not guilty when the charge was
read to him.
One of the Counts reads:
"That you, Orji Chidi Festus (m) being Assitant
Director and Head Internal Audit National Gallery of Art, Abuja on or about the
3rd of June 2014, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the
Federal Capital Territory, did wilfully obstruct the investigation of one
Hazeez Agbaje Esther suspected to have fraudulently obtained the aggregate sum
of N260,000,000.00 (Two hundred and Sixy million naira) only by false pretences
by standing surety to secure his bail with undertaking to produce her to the
Commission at any time which you failed to do and thereby committed an offence
contrary Section 38(2)(b) of the same Act."
Justice Kawu adjourned the case to June 17,
2015 and ordered the accused to be remanded in Kuje Prison custody.
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