SAN FRANCISCO, July 09, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Wednesday arraigned the Taraba State Accountant-General, Joel Joseph Lenbang, before Justice Donatus Nwabueze Okorowo of the Federal High Court Jalingo for defrauding Taraba State Government to the tune of N1.56 billion.
He was docked on an 8-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, offences contrary to and punishable under the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
When the charges were read to him, the accused person pleaded not guilty.
The malfeasance came to light following a petition received from a concerned Taraba State indigene, sometime in February 2014, alleging massive looting of Taraba state funds. The petition triggered investigation of the lifestyle of some of the officers mentioned in the petition and who were believed to be living above their means.
The investigation uncovered systematic withdrawal of state funds through a scheme masterminded by the Accountant-General of the State.
Withdrawals were allegedly made under the guise that such monies were used for sundry payments on behalf of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as payment of bank commissions on turn over (COT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) which became a monthly affair.
A total sum of N1,567,226,557.081 (one billion, five hundred and sixty seven million, two hundred and twenty six thousand, five hundred and fifty seven naira, eighty one kobo) was discovered to have been looted from the state treasury between January 2012 and December 2013.
In view of the plea of the accused, prosecuting counsel, Al Qasim Ja’afar applied for a date to commence trial. Counsel to accused, Abayomi Akamode, however, informed the court that he had filed a motion for bail this morning and urged the court hear it.
But Al Qasim told the court that he was just served the motion on notice in court and would need time to peruse and respond appropriately.
Justice Okorowo adjourned the case till July 11, 2014 for hearing of the bail application and remanded the accused in prison custody.
Meanwhile, Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 convicted and sentenced the duo of Duru Cosmos and Paul Momoh of Mbakwha Cooperative Society to two years and three months imprisonment for conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
The duo were arraigned on June 29, 2012 by the EFCC on a 2-count charge of fraudulent conversion of project funds for personal use following a petition by the Ministry of Mines and Steels Development.
The convicts who are the chairman and secretary of Mbakwha Cooperative Society respectively were said to have been awarded a grant by the Ministry under the World Bank loan to develop the solid minerals sector of the economy. The convicts allegedly converted the money to personal use, while efforts to make them refund the money proved futile.
Justice Adeniyi found the duo guilty on the two count charge preferred against them. On count one, the two accused were sentenced to three months imprisonment with an option of fine in the sum of N1, 250,000.00 (One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand naira) each; and on count two, the accused were sentenced to two years with an option of N1.250,000.00 (One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand naira) fine each. The sentences are to run consecutively.
One of the counts read:“That you Duru Cosmos and Paul Momoh being the Chairman and Secretary of Mbakwha Cooperative society on or about 9th of December,2009 at Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did Dishonestly convert to your own use the sum of N4,826,850.00 (Four Million Eight Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Naira only) given to you by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Developments for the procurement of Atlas Copco XAS 47 Air Compressor, Jack Hammer with accessories and Diaphram Water Pump, to enhance your mining activities and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 2004.”
