The trial of five former directors of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for alleged N605m fraud charges began at a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, with the prosecution, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, calling its first witness on Wednesday.
The accused persons include a former Director in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Nasarawa State Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the 2015 governorship election, Mohammed Agabi; ex-Deputy Director in the ministry, Akpore Okeroghene; and a former director and Agabi’s successor, Abibu Ayinla.
Others are ex-Deputy Directors, Idowu Adewale, and Ntu Ngozi.
The accused persons, who were on September 16, 2015 arraigned before Justice Huseini Baba of the FCT High Court, were accused of defrauding the Niger Delta ministry to the tune of N605m between July 2013 and October 2014.
The first prosecution witness, Kabiru Kaloma, who was a personal assistant to Agabi, was led in evidence by the ICPC’s counsel, Paul Bassi.
The witness told the court that he suddenly discovered that his personal accounts were frozen by the anti-graft agency sometime in 2014.
He admitted that his accounts were used for the illegal transfer of the ministry’s fund.
Justice Baba adjourned further trial till November 27.
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