N27bn fraud: Court remands Taraba ex-gov Ishaku, perm sec
On Monday, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, remanded former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku and former Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.The duo were arrested on September 27 for allegedly diverting N27 billion from the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
In the suit CR/792/24, filed before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, the EFCC accused the defendants of diverting N1,010,000,000 to their personal use in Abuja between August 25, 2015 and March 21, 2016.
According to the agency, the amount was part of the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs' 2.5% contingency funds.
The EFCC noted that the duo violated Section 315 of the Penal Code A, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007, which is punishable under the same section.
Other amounts alleged to have been diverted by the defendants from the contingency fund include N650,686,369.99 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021; N193,030,000 between January 2019, and April 29, 2021; and N170,549,842.00 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021.
According to a statement issued by the EFCC's spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the commission's charges against them at their arraignment.
Oyewale stated that the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, requested a trial date as well as an accelerated hearing of the case.
He also stated that Paul Haris Ogbole, SAN, and Oluwa Damilola Kayode, counsel for Ishaku and Yero, respectively, made oral bail applications, which Jacobs rejected, insisting on formal applications.
Oyewale stated that the trial judge adjourned the case until Thursday, October 3, for a hearing on bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody.
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