Date Published: 07/22/10

UBEC Scam: You must face trial, Court tells Sokan, Others

A Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja  has ruled that former Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Prof. Bridget Omotunde Sokan and three directors facing trial on a 63 count charge, bordering on fraudulent inducement, criminal conspiracy and subversion of due processes in the award of contract among others,  have a case to answer and should be ready to face trial.

Justice Adamu Bello gave this ruling on Thursday, July 22^nd, 2010, while dismissing an application brought before him by the accused persons praying the court to quash the charges leveled against them. The other accused persons are: Molkat Manasseh Mutfwang, Michael Mtonga Aule and Dr Andrew Ekpunobi. Three other firms: Intermarkets USA ; Intermarkets Nigeria Limited and Alexander John Cozman, a foreign contractor who is also standing trial with  them.

 Sokan and his co-accused had sought the quashing of all the charges preferred against them, saying  that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  EFCC. They also claimed that the proof of evidence did not establish a prima facie case against them.

 However,  Justice Bello , in  his ruling stated that as far as the proof of evidence before him was concerned  “there is sufficient evidence for the accused persons to face trial”  He ,therefore,  adjourned the case to November 29^th and 30^th,  2010 for continuation of trial.

One  of the count charge reads: That you (1) Molkat Manasseh Mutfwang ‘m’ (2) Michael Mtonga Aule (m) (3) Dr Andrew Nnamdi Ekpunobi ‘m’ (4) Professor Bridget Sokan (f) sometimes in November,2005 at the universal Basic Education Commission UBEC no 7,Gwani Street, Wuse Zone 4 Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court acting as public servant and in this capacities to wit: The deputy director planning (UBEC), the procurement Officer  (UBEC), director planning and information management, (UBEC), the deputy executive secretary services (UBEC), respectively, with intent to defraud the federal republic of Nigeria, fraudulently obtained in favor of Intermarkets USA LLC, Intermarkets Nigeria ltd and Alexander John Cozman  the sum of six hundred and thirty six million two hundred and eighty four thousand naira ( 636,284,160.00) from (UBEC), Abuja , wrongly purporting same to be meant for the supply of  109,440 pieces of plastic  chairs/desk with the willful knowledge that chairs/desks remained banned by the federal government at all materials times and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 1(1) ( a) ( b),1 ( 2) and ( 3) of Advance Fee Fraud  and Other  Fraud Related Offences Act,2006.