Former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, will, today, be araigned on an 11- count charge, before Justice Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja, a source within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed.
The EFCC, according to sources, noted that “every necessary arrangement” has been made to charge the former minister to court and the EFCC is ready to follow the case to a logical conclusion.
Last week, the anti-graft agency had announced that it had prepared an 11- count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretences, procurement fraud and money laundering against Moro.
Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, F. O Alayebami, Mahmood Ahmadu(at-large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd allegedly defrauded a total of 676, 675,000 (six hundred and seventy six thousand, six hundred and seventy five) Nigerian applicants to the tune of N676,675,000 (six hundred and seventy six million, six hundred and seventy five thousand naira) representing N1000 per applicant through e-payment for their online recruitment exercise into the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on March 17, 2013.
The accused are alleged to have contravened the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 in the contract awards, by not following the necessary procedures laid down by the Federal Government. The award of the contract to Drexel Tech Nig Ltd had no prior advertisement, no needs assessment and no procurement plan.
The invitation of just four companies without the approval of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) contravened sections 40, 42 and 43 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under section 58 of the same act.
Also, the company that got the contract, Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited, was said to be unregistered and had no legal capacity to enter into the said contract.
One of the accused, Mahmood Ahmadu(who is at-large), connived with Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd to misappropriate the sum of N423,800,000.00 (four hundred and twenty three million, eight hundred thousand naira), part of the N676,675,000 (six hundred and seventy six million, six hundred and seventy five thousand naira) gotten from the applicants on the sum of N202, 500, 000 (two hundred and two mllion five hundred thousand naira ) in purchase of a property in a choice area of the Federal Capital territory, N120, 100,000 (one hundred and twenty million one hundred thousand naira ) used in upgrading a property in Abuja, while the total sum of N101, 200, 000( one hundred and one million two hundred thousand naira) was converted to dollars (American) for personal use.
Meanwhile, lawyers to former chief of defence staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh have expressed concern over his health, following his continued detention by the EFCC, even as they faulted the too stringent bail conditions being sought to ensure his freedom.
In a letter to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Badeh’s lawyers alleged that the EFCC may be acting out a script by placing obstacles in the former CDS’ path to freedom, even when he has cooperated with the commission since the commencement of his interaction with them over alleged corrupt practices under his watch.
The position of the lawyers seems to confirm earlier reports that the EFCC is out to humiliate the former Air Force Chief and later Chief of Defence Staff for yet unclear reasons.
According to the lawyers, the EFCC is aware of the health challenges being faced by Badeh, and managing such ailments while in detention may tend to further worsen his situation, even as they expressed surprise at the sudden change stories by EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, who had earlier given his words that Chief Badeh will be released immediately.
They faulted the application for the extension of his detention at a Magistrate Court in Lagos, where he was whisked to, immediately the EFCC refused him coming from his house to attend sessions with them, citing possible witching and attempts to further embarrass the man against whom nothing incriminating has so far been established.
Sources in the EFCC confirmed that there are further plans to move Alex Badeh from Lagos to Port Harcourt, even as there seems no immediate plans to release him even on health grounds.
Members of his family are also said to be apprehensive, as their bread winner may not have been getting the deserved medical attention, while in consecration, calling on the EFCC to consider the man’ s contributions to the country, and allow him to return home and face charges against him if any.
