Date Published: 10/31/09

N3 Billion Fraud: EFCC files 229 fresh charges against Owan, 6 Others

Justice Salisu Garba of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja , on Thursday, October 29, 2009, adjourned till December 15, 2009, for the taking of plea in the 229 amended charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC against the suspended chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Dr. Ransome Owan and six commissioners of the agency.

 The commissioners are Mallam Abdurahman Ado, Professor Onwuamaeze Iloeje, Dr Abdurazaq Alimi, Engr Mohammed Bunu, Engr Abimbola Odubiyi and Dr. Grace Eyoma.

Counsel to EFCC, Godwin Obla said the amended charges were as a result of fresh evidence available to the Commission. But when the matter came up on Thursday October 29, counsel to the fourth accused person, Barrister O. Owa, argued that his client cannot take his plea because he was only served the amended charges that morning. “We were served the amended charge this morning, and when there is a dispute as to issue of service, it cannot be resolved by conflicting words of counsel, it must be resolved by production of proof of service,” Owa told the court. 

After listening to the submission of both the prosecuting and defence counsel on the matter, Justice Garba adjourned the case to December 15, to enable the 5 th accused person study the amended charge before taking his plea.

Dr. Owan and the six commissioners were first arraigned by the EFCC on April 22, 2009 before the FCT High Court, Abuja on a 196 count charge. The accused persons are alleged to have committed offence contrary to sections 97, 315,122, 309, 123, 289 of the Criminal Procedure Code, all bordering on criminal conspiracy, dishonest conversion of public funds, criminal appropriation, theft and disobedience to law. They were said to have allegedly converted billions of naira belonging to NERC for personal use.

The accused persons were later granted bail in the sum of N100 million each, two sureties for each of the accused persons with like sum; the two sureties must be prominent Nigerians with property in either Maitama, Garki, Asokoro or Wuse all in Abuja . The accused persons were also barred from travelling and are to report to EFCC head office first and last Monday of every month.