Fraud: ICPC arraigns former Katsina varsity council members, contractor

Victoria Ogunrinde

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission ICPC, has arraigned two former governing council members of the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, for allegedly receiving N2m bribe from a contractor handling projects in the institution.

The accused are: Mr Emmanuel Omah and Muhammad Jibrin.

Similarly, the commission also arraigned the contractor, Mr Sunday Efeoluwa, for allegedly paying bribes to the two former council members to influence the award of a contract to his company, Goldmark Concept Limited, before Justice Abbas Bawule, of the Katsina State High Court.

The three accused are facing nine counts bordering on bribery and gratification contrary to section 10 (a) (i) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 10 (a) (ii) of the same act.

The charge sheet revealed that Omah received N1m bribe in two instalments of N500,000 each, through his accounts in Access bank and First Bank respectively, to influence the award of the contract to Efeoluwa.

According to a statement on Thursday by the ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, titled,’ ICPC arraigns two ex-governing council members of Federal University, Katsina over N2m fraud’, Jibrin, who is facing four counts out of the nine-count charge, was said to have received N1m through his personal account with Ecobank and his company account with Zenith Bank to also facilitate the award of contract to the same person.

“All the accused persons pleaded not guilty and the bail application, which was not opposed by counsel for the ICPC, Garba Ibrahim, was granted by the trial judge.”

Justice Bawule admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N200,000 each and a surety in like sum. The case was then adjourned till April 8 and 9 for trial.