Date Published: 04/03/10

Adamawa Commissioner, LG Boss spend Easter Holidays in prison over N25m fraud

A High Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa has ordered that the state commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Alhaji Magaji Ibrahim and a former Director of Finance of Toungo Local Government, Ibrahim Gangyibenso be remanded in prison custody till Wednesday 7^th April 2010. They were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC before Justice I.K.Banu of State High Court 3, Yola on a 20 count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, falsification and forgery of documents, offences punishable under the penal code laws of Adamawa state. The first accused, Ibrahim was a former Executive Chairman of Toungo Local government area before he was appointed commissioner by the administration of Governor Murtala Nyako. 
 
The EFCC had on the 7^th of March 2009 received petitions from some concerned citizens of Toungo Local Government Area accusing the duo of siphoning and diverting funds of the Local Government meant for specific development projects in the area. 

According to the petitioners, the accused persons with an approval from the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs obtained a loan facility of N25 million (Twenty five million naira only)from Union Bank Plc for some specific projects in November 2006. 
The said loan was misapplied and partly siphoned into private pockets. 

The Commission’s investigation later revealed falsification of payment vouchers, forgery of documents, misappropriation of funds and non compliance with due process. 
Both accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the 20 count charges when read to them on Thursday. 

Upon the not guilty plea, Counsel to EFCC Sylvanus Tahir asked for a date to commence trial while the accused persons be remanded in prison custody till then. 
Counsel to the two accused persons E.M. Zangina Esq objected and pleaded for oral bail application. This was however objected by EFCC counsel who asked the judge to use his discretion while appealing that a formal application is more appropriate.

 After listening to the arguments of both counsel, the judge in his ruling fixed Wednesday 7^th April 2010 for hearing of the formal motion for bail and ordered the accused persons to be remanded in prison custody till then.