It
was drama galore at the Federal Capital Territory High Court at Maitama
yesterday, as the key suspect in the alleged illegal diversion of over
N40billion from the Police Pension Fund, Mrs. Uzoma Cyril Attang,
directed thugs to physically assault journalists that came to cover her
arraignment.
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had maintained that it
successfully traced about N1.1billion to one of the bank accounts
operated by Mrs. Attang, who is still in service as Director of Finance
and Accounts in the Ministry of Communications.
She was, hitherto, the Chief Accountant of the PPF where she served between 2003 and 2008.
Meanwhile,
irked by what she termed “unfavourable media reportage”, Attang who was
docked by the EFCC, alongside six former police pension officials
yesterday, monitored as a horde of thugs she brought to court, attacked
photojournalists inside the high court premises.
EFCC
opted to transfer the case from Justice Talba following the
slap-on-the-wrist sentence he handed to one of the accused persons, John
Yakubu Yusufu, who was on January 28, sentenced to two years
imprisonment with a fine option of N750, 000, after he confessed that he
conspired with the other accused persons and stole about N23 billion
from the police pension fund.
The
other accused persons who took turns and pleaded not guilty to the
charge were Esai Dangabar, a former Permanent Secretary in the Office of
the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Atiku Abubakar
Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs. Veronica Uloma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira
and Christian Madubuike.
Justice
Talba had on April 3, 2012, granted them bail in the sum of N10 million
each, just as they were ordered to produce two persons on grade
level-14 in the Civil Service that stood surety for each of them.
The court fixed June 3 and 4 to commence hearing on the substantive charge against them.
Source: Vanguard
No comments:
Post a Comment