Press Release
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Mohammed Bello Abubakar/Pic:
EFCC Media Unit
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Mohammed Bello Abubakar,
former permanent secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy
Affairs, Sokoto State, and Abubakar Abdullahi Ahmed, a former deputy director
in the ministry, being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on a 43-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and
money laundering, were on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 re-arraigned before Justice
Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Sokoto.
The trial of the two civil
servants, who are being prosecuted for evidently living beyond their means (as
the extent of their assets is not commensurate with their legitimate source of
income), actually began in May 2014.
But in a twist of sorts to
what has now become a keenly monitored trial, Justice Aikawa on January 30,
2015, at the last hearing of the case, quashed the proceedings of May 21, 2014
on the grounds that the court foisted counsel on the first and third accused
persons, and ruled that the trial begin afresh.
At the resumption of the
fresh trial on Wednesday, prosecution witness, Usman Mohammed Mukhtar, an
operative with the EFCC, while being led in evidence by the prosecuting
counsel, S. K Atteh, told the court that he received a petition against
Abubakar, alleging gross abuse of his position to acquire wealth, which he
subsequently investigated.
He said, "The petition
indicated that he was living a lifestyle not commensurate with his income as a
public servant."
The petition was followed
up by a discrete investigation, he said, which further exposed various
unethical activities by the accused persons.
He added: "During
investigation, I identified the second accused person (Ahmed), a director of
finance (now retired) in the ministry of environment, Sokoto State, formerly
deputy director, ministry of local government and community development,
Sokoto; the third accused (Rose Gallery Nigeria Limited) and the fourth accused
(Silver Spring Concept) were identified as companies where the first accused
(Abubakar) is a director and a signatory to the bank accounts; the fifth
accused person (Sitex Multi Service Limited) was a company in which the second
accused person is a sole signatory to the bank account, with his wife and
children as directors of the company."
Abubakar is alleged to be
the owner of five companies - Rose Gallery Nigeria Limited, Silver Spring
Concept, Gidadawa Global Ventures, BAG Interiors and Eco Habitat Nigeria
Limited, which have various bank accounts through which suspicious transfers
were made.
One of the charges read:
"That you, Mohammed Bello Abubakar, while being the Permanent Secretary of
the Ministry for Local Government and Community Development, Sokoto State;
Abubakar Abdullahi Ahmed, while being the Deputy Director for Local Government
and Community Development, Sokoto State and Rose Gallery Nigeria Limited, on or
about the 6th day of May 2008 at Sokoto Judicial Division of the Federal High
Court of Nigeria did collaborate in disguising the illegal origin of the sum of
N2,500,000, into Rose Gallery Nigeria Limited's account number 351337760120
with Guaratee Trust Bank Plc and thereby committed an offence punishable under
Section 14 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004."
The charge reads further:
"That you Abubakar Ahmed, while being the Director of Finance, Ministry of
Local Government and Community Development, Sokoto State and Sitex Multi
Service Limited, on or about the 9th day of September 2009 at the Sokoto
Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did transfer the sum of
N69million from Sokoto State Joint Account into Sitex Multi Service Limited
account number 0037193066 in Ecobank Plc with the aim of disguising the illicit
origin of the said sum of N40,875,754 so as to evade the consequences of your
action and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14 of the
Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004."
The court adjourned till March 19, 2015, for
continuation of trial.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
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