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Nigeria: N300 Million Health Scam - Iyabo Knows Fate On Monday
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Leadership (Abuja)
16 May 2008
Posted to the web 16 May 2008
Gowon Emakpe
Chairperson Senate committee on health, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello will by next Monday know her fate wither to still be on the run or to come out of hiding, as an Abuja High Court will rull on her preliminary objection seeking to quash the charges.
Justice Salisu Garba, yesterday adjourned to May 19, 2008 (next Monday) to rule on Obasanjo-Bello series of application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter, and to quash cont 55 and 56.
Obasanjo-Bello had file a motion seeking to quash the criminal charges of alleged retention of N0 million stolen from the Federal Ministry of Health.
She is challenging the charges over her alleged involvement in the sharing of the N300 million unspent fund in the Federal Ministry of Health.
Also she is seeking an order of the court, quashing the two-count charge against her saying that the charges disclosed no prima facie case against her.
But counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a counter affidavit said Obasanjo-Bello is not properly before the court, stressing that if she wants to quash the charges, she should come to court.
According to him, the physical presence of Obasanjo-Bello, is mandatory for the consideration of her application, seeking to quash the charges.
Furthermore he urges the court to issue a barrel warrant of her, noting that investigation of the conduct of the other members of the House of Representatives and Senate committees on health, showed that Obasanjo-Bello and not other members of the health committee deliberately retained the sum of N10 million, having knowledge that same was stolen money.
He added that Obasanjo-Bello was properly notified of the fraudulent source of the N10 million given to the Senate committee on health, which went ahead to spend the money.
Stressing that Obasanjo-Bello alone is accountable for the said sum of N10 million, having been informed of the fraudulent source of the money and she chose to retain same.
If Obasanjo-Bello motion to quash the charges fail, then Justice Garba will order for her arraignment.
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It would be recalled that the EFCC arrested and charged the former minister of health, Professor Adenike Grange, and 10 others to court over allegations of stealing the ministry's N300 million and declared Obasanjo-Bello wanted.
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