Trouble started for
Abubakar, a former managing director of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund
(NSITF), and his co-defendants (some of whom were former board members and
current staff of NSITF), when a whistleblower petitioned the EFCC accusing them
of abusing their positions to divert public funds running to billions of naira.
Acting on the petition,
EFCC operatives investigated the allegations and after thorough investigations
were carried out, it was revealed that between 2012 to 2015 they received
kickbacks in dollars in the discharge of their duties, and conspired to divert
the about N18 billion, being contribution from the Federal Government of
Nigeria as take-off grants and Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS) for
Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The said money was
diverted into personal accounts by an e-payment mandate. The offence contravenes
Section 311 of the penal code cap 532 LFN (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under
Section 312 of the same code.
One of the counts reads:
“That you Umar Munir Abubakar “M" being the former managing director of
Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Henry Ekhasomi Sambo “M"
being General Manager Finance (NSITF), Sir Adebayo Adebowale Aderibigbe
“M" being General Manager Legal Department (NSITF), Chief Richard U. Uche
“M" being a former board member of (NSITF), Aderemi Adegboyega “M"
being a former board member of (NSITF) and Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme “F"
former board chairman (NSITF) (now at large). On or about 2012 to 2015 in Abuja
within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigeria
Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), dishonestly converted to your own use the
sum of Eighteen billion naira (N18,000,000,000), being contribution from the
Federal Government of Nigeria as take-off grants and Employees Compensation
Scheme (ECS) for MDA’s. The said sum was diverted into personal accounts by an
e-payment mandate jointly signed by Umar Munir Abubakar and Henry Ekhasomi
Sambo and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the penal
code cap 532 LFN (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 312 of the same
code”.
The accused persons
pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them.
In view of their pleas,
counsel to the EFCC, Steve Odiase, urged the court to fix a date for
trial and to remand them in prison custody pending trial.
However, counsel to the
defendants, J. K Kolawole, Napoleon O. Idenala, J. A. Kalu, J. C. Njikonye and
Obafemi Adewale, applied for the bail of their clients, and prayed the court to
grant them bail on liberal terms.
After listening to the
arguments, Justice Orji granted them bail.
“Each of the defendants
is admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum,”
the judge ruled, adding that the two sureties should be residents in the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He further ruled that
one of the sureties must be a civil servant of at least the level of a
director, and warned that anyone who failed to fulfil the bail condition,
“shall be remanded in prison custody”. They were also warned not to leave the
country without the permission of the court.
Their trial has been
adjourned to February 5 to 7, 2018.
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