Aka Ekene, PBA Journalism Mentee
Former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Ibrahim Garba, and the Bursar, Ibrahim Shehu Usman, were on March 29, 2023, arraigned before Justice R.M Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting Kaduna, Kaduna State.
The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned the two public servants based on a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of over N1 billion.
Professor Garba and Usman were alleged to have diverted the money ( originally meant for the renovation of the popular Kongo Conference Hotel, Zaria) from different accounts of the institution.
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One of the counts reads: “That you, Prof. Ibrahim Garba and Ibrahim Shehu Usman, sometime in December 2013, whilst the Vice Chancellor and Bursar of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria respectively, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to use the aggregate sum of N998, 000,000.00(Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million Naira), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: Criminal Breach of Trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.
Another count reads: “That you, Prof. Ibrahim Garba and Ibrahim Shehu Usman, between the 11th day of January 2016 and the 29th day of June 2016 whilst the Vice Chancellor and Bursar of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria respectively, in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court concealed the aggregate sum of N119,923,730.00(One Hundred and Nineteen Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty Naira) in USIG NIGERIA LIMITED’s account No. 1402548014 domiciled in First City Monument Bank Plc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: Criminal Breach of Trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.
Professor Garba and Usman pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the charges were read to them; and, based on their pleas, the prosecuting counsel, Jamil Musa urged the court to remand the defendants at the Kaduna Correctional Centre and fix a date for the commencement of trial.
The defence counsel, M.S Aatu (SAN), for the 1st defendant, and Bello .I. Jahun (for the second defendant) urged the court to admit their clients to bail.
Justice Aikawa granted bail to the defendants in the sum of five million naira each with one surety each in like sum who must not be below Grade Level 15 in the civil service. The defendants must also deposit their international passports with the registry of the court. They are to further report to EFCC on the first Monday of every month until the court directs otherwise.
The case was adjourned till June 20-21, 2023 for hearing.
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