Press
Release
The
trial of a former Special Assistant to the Director of Administration (Pension
Accounts), Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Aliyu
Bello, and a Sokoto State school teacher, Abdullahi Omeiza, before Justice
Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court Abuja could not proceed on February
17, 2015 as the first accused claimed he was unfit following injuries sustained
in an attack by armed robbers.
The
accused persons are being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on a 5-count charge bordering on criminal conversion and
stealing of over N1bn (one billion naira) from the Pension Account, Office of the
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
Bello
and Omeiza, are alleged to have at various times between 2009 and 2010 obtained
by false pretence and with intent to defraud, from Pension Account, Office of
the Head of Service of the Federation, various sums in the aggregate amount of
N281, 623,351.87 through various third parties and thereby committed an offence
contrary to section 1(1) (A) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related
Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
At
the resumed hearing of the case, counsel to EFCC, Emmanuel Egwuagwu, standing
in for Godwin Obla, SAN, told the court that, they were ready to proceed with
the case.
Though
both accused were present in court, the defence counsel, Mahmood A. Magaji, SAN,
expressed concern over the health of the first accused (Bello) whom he said was
unfit. The counsel stated the accused is still recuperating from a head
injury sustained during an armed robbery attack over the weekend.
Justice
Ademola, in the circumstance, adjourned the case to April 28, 2015 for
continuation of trial.
Wilson
Uwujaren
Head,
Media & Publicity
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