Ex Nassarawa PDP Guber Candidate,Yusuf Agabi ,Arraigned By ICPC For Fraud.

‎The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has re-arraigned a former director at the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, and governorship aspirant in Nassarawa State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Yusuf Agabi, before Justice Adegboyega Adeniyi of the FCT High Court, Apo.

Agabi, a former Director in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, was re-arraigned with four others, for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N100million from the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in a 46 count charge preferred against them.

The PDP chieftain who was first arraigned last year before another FCT High Court in Maitama , alongside four others, however wrote a petition to the Chief of Judge of the FCT, seeking for a reassignment of the matter.

According to the charges, Agabi while being a public officer as a Director of Finance at the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, was alleged to have received for himself the sum of N100million belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria from one Kabiru Paloma, knowing same to have been obtained fraudulently from the bank account of the Ministry, an offence contrary to Section 13 and punishable under section 68 of the Corrupt Practices Act 2000.

He was also alleged to have on separate occasions in 2013, collected a total sum N400million from Kabiru Paloma, the sum of N50million from Daniel Obah and another sum of N8.9million from Babadoko Mohammed obtained fraudulently from the accounts of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

Akpore Okeroghene, a Deputy Director of Finance at the ministry, was also accused of receiving the sum of N25million at separate occasions and through a proxy, Kabiru Paloma as well as N6million and N2million respectively from one Nuhu Gadu and Solomon Sunday Tom.

The third accused person, Ayinla Abibu was also alleged to have received the sum of N60million through a proxy Zeocat Nig LTD, with which he used to build a house at Ogbomosho, Oyo state for
himself.

He was alleged to have received a total of N91.4million through a proxy, Joykings Nig LTD.

Idowu Adewale, a deputy director of accounts in the ministry, was also said to have received the sum of $100,000 from Kabiru Paloma as well as using documents to wit: payment vouchers of the ministry which were defective in material particular and designed to mislead his principal for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining various sums of money from his principal.

Ntu Ngozi, Deputy Director (Accounts) also received a total sum of N10.25million from one Solomon Sunday Tom in March and October 2014.

Having taken their plea and pleaded not guilty, the accused persons who had been on a N10million bail bond granted them by another FCT High Court in Maitama, were admitted to the same bail conditions by the new trial court, which he said the facts and documents should be handed over to the most senior registrar of his court.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to March 1, 2 and 3, 2016 for a day to day trial

The arraignment of the accused persons follows a petition written to the Chairman of the ICPC from the office of the Permanent Secretary from the ministry titled “case of an unauthorized withdrawal of the
sum of N605,073,540.00 from the ministry of Niger Delta affairs’ 2014 constituency project account with Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja”, upon which investigation was commenced and the leakages unraveled.