Abdulwahab Abdulah and Vincent Okeke
29 October 2008
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, reduced to 68 the 163-count charge of fraud it slammed against PDP stalwart and former Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Olabode George.
George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP; former Managing Director, Architect Aminu Dabo, and five others are standing trial for conspiracy with intent to defraud, and for disobeying a lawful order issued by a constituted authority to wit: the Federal Governor of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Finance in a Circular No. F 15775, dated 27th June, 2001 on policy guidelines for procurement and award of contracts in Government Ministries and Parastatals of government.
They were said to have misappropriated N84 billion.
George was also charged with abuse of office by splitting contracts and awarding same to different companies with intent to defraud.
The accused persons- Chief Olabode George, former Chairman, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Architect Aminu Dabo, former Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Prince Victor Agu; Captain O. Abidoye; Alhaji Abdullahi Aminu Tafida; Alhaji Zanna Maidaribe and Engr. Sule Aliyu- were said to "have on or about 18th day of October, 2002 at Lagos, within the Ikeja judicial Division, while being employed in the public service of the federation of Nigeria as board members of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), with intent to defraud, abuse the authority of your office regarding award of contracts, by splitting one contract in the sum of $797, 850.000 into three separate contracts; which sum was beyond your approved limits; and subsequently awarded the split contracts to Belad Ventures Limited, Princadaz Nigeria Ltd. and T. Baas Creation Ltd. for the supply of one number Terex Telescopic Mobile Crane 930 tons for Warri Port Dockyard to NPA, an act which was arbitrary and prejudicial to the rights of the Federal Minster of Transportation being the appropriate authority to award contracts in excesses of N20 million."
They were also accused of awarding series of contracts to companies such as Danjuma Kibo Company, Dockyard Maritime Ltd and Alliance Tech Ltd among others for the supplying of Remote Sensing Satellite Imageries among other equipment supply to the authority within the time.
When the matter came up yesterday, at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, the EFCC represented by Mr Muslim Hassan announced the amended 68-count charge from the old charges and also informed the court that another defendant was joined in the new charges.
George maintained that he was not guilty of the offences pressed against him and others.
The court admitted them to bail immediately, adopting their subsisting bail conditions. The court presided over by Justice Oyewole also granted bail to Engineer Sule Aliyu freshly joined as a defendant in the case in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum.
Specifically, they were said to have awarded contracts beyond the power given them contrary to Section 203 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17 Vol. 2 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003 and abuse of office contrary to Section 104 of the Criminal Code Cap C. 17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.
George represented by a team of five Senior Advocates led by Chief Tunji Ayanlaja (SAN) told the court moments after their pleas were taken that he was ready to go on trial to prove his innocence. Also, the other defendants' counsel indicated their willingness to go on trial immediately.
Yesterday's proceeding was not without the usual frenzy as supporters of the PDP chieftain stormed the court in solidarity. The premises of the court was full with his supporters from the five South-West states.
The prosecution alleged that accused contradicted a "lawful order issued by constituted Authority contrary to Section 203 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17 Vol. 2 Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003 and abuse of office contrary to Section 104 of the Criminal Code Cap C. 17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003."
They were also charged with awarding contracts by supplying several items and repairing some equipment worth billion of Naira and some in foreign currencies in addition to "splitting three contracts into three separate contracts; which sum was beyond your approved limits," an act which the anti graft body described as "arbitrary and prejudicial to the right of the Federal Minister of Transportation, being the appropriate authority to award contracts in excess of N20 million."
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
Te wicked will never go unpunished so be it with Olaboode Geoorge.Olabode Geoge was partly instrumental for the disorganisation of Mbadinuju administrattion and greatly responsible for the plight of Anambra State workers and pensioners during this era; because Mbadinuju used the money he should have used to pay salary and pension to settlle Olabode George in hiis quest to secure a second term.The evil that men do lives after them but that of Olabode George and co will live with them. God will never forgive George for all the workers and pensioners that died in Anambra State because of what… [Read Full Text]