The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a senior member of the legal counsel to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in challenging the victory of president Buhari in the 2019 general elections, Kabiru Turaki (SAN) before the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged fraud of N20bn.
Turaki prior to becoming one of the lead counsels to Atiku, he was a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs under the former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. He presided over the ministry from 2013 to 2015.
Findings from the court proceedings revealed that the EFCC prayed the honorable court to grant a final order of forfeiture of some funds linked to the alleged scam said to have taken place with Turaki’s involvement as a minister.
Meanwhile, one of the legal counsels to the EFCC, Bello Adama revealed that the commission, in January 2018, received intelligence report about an alleged criminal misappropriation of over N20bn by Turaki while in office.
Adding that the money was meant for constituency projects and funds for the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts and Security Challenges in the North-East.
Document from court proceedings states, “That sometime in January 2018, the applicant received intelligence in respect of a case against the former minister in charge of the now defunct Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Mr Kabiru Taminu Turaki (SAN), alleging conspiracy and criminal misappropriation of public funds involving the sum of over N20bn meant for constituency projects and funds for the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts and Security Challenges in the North-East.
“That preliminary investigation conducted by the commission revealed that the former minister of the FMSDIGA conspired with some contractors and some members of staff of the ministry’s Procurement and Accounts Departments to divert public funds.
“That preliminary investigation further revealed that contrary to contract documentation on the agreement entered into by companies for the supply of several items included tricycles, fertilizer and motorcycles; contractors were made to pay out part of the funds released to them to some members of staff of the ministry or business associates of the former minister.
“That further to the deposition in the foregoing paragraphs, the trio of Titus Okunrinboye, Vincent Odafen and Muara Muhammed Gambo maintained and operated companies which were used to siphon public funds in the name of contracts or consultancy.
“That our investigation into the case further revealed that a larger part of the amount stated in paragraphs 4 and 6 above was fraudulently disbursed by the Central Bank of Nigeria at the instance of the FMSDIGA to individuals and corporate entities that did not carry out and did not intend to carry out any job as specified in the alleged contract documentation.”
The presiding judge, Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa had on June 28, 2019 granted the EFCC’s ex parte application ordering the interim forfeiture of the assets worth N600m since the commencement of the case.
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