The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, withdrew the 163-count charge brought against former Chairman, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Olabode George, and five others bordering on alleged disobedience to lawful order, abuse of office and illegal award of contracts worth N84 billion.
The commission, however, re-filed another 68-count charge against them.
George, a former Deputy National Chairman (South-west) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with his co-defendants were first arraigned in August before Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos.
Others arraigned with him were former NPA Managing Director, Mr. Aminu Dabo, Captain O. Abidoye, Alhaji Abdullahi Aminu Tafida, Alhaji Zanna Maidaribe and Alhaji Sule Aliyu. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Muslim Hassan, informed the court of the amendment of the charge sheet, adding that the proof of evidence in the old charge sheet was still the same as the new one.
He, however, told the court that the anti-graft agency was including a new defendant in the person of Mr. Sule Aliyu, whom he said was arrested on Monday.
Shortly after Hassan’s submission, counsel to George, Mr. Tunji Ayanlaja (SAN), urged the court to grant the PDP chieftain bail on the earlier conditions given by the court.
Counsel for the second defendant, Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN); third defendant, Mr. Gbenga Ojo; fourth defendant, Mr. Rotimi Sanni; and fifth defendant, Mr. Joe Gadzama (SAN), also followed the same path in demanding bail for their clients.
Moreover, counsel to the sixth defendant, Mr. Yinka Farounbi, prayed the court to grant his client bail because he had been with the anti-graft agency since he was apprehended on Monday.
Hassan, however, did not oppose the bail applications, but told the court to use its discretion in granting them, noting that it should strictly adhere to the former bail conditions of the other five defendants.
Justice Oyewole, in his ruling, said the five defendants should continue to enjoy bail despite the amended charge sheet, while the sixth defendant, Aliyu, was granted bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum.
He said the surety must be a resident of Lagos State, must produce evidence of tax payment, have landed property in the state and must be gainfully employed.
The judge also ordered that the surety must swear to an affidavit of means to be verified by the Chief Registrar.
He also ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody until he fulfilled his bail terms and subsequently adjourned till today.
The Federal Government had in 2005 began a review of contracts awarded by the NPA between 2001 and 2003 and indicted George, who served as the body’s chairman between 2001 and 2003.
The special committee headed by former chairman of the EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, which submitted its report in February 2006, had alleged that George awarded no fewer than 24,252 contracts valued at over N100 billion between 2001 and 2003.
The contracts were allegedly inflated with most of them paid for in foreign currencies and the items supplied at exorbitant prices.
George was specifically accused of abuse of office via award of contracts, which sum was beyond his approval limits of N20 million.
He was, however, arrested and arraigned with four others for conspiracy, disobedience to lawful order, abuse of office and alleged illegal award of contracts by the anti-graft commission under a new leadership last August.
They were said to have approved a contract of N13,537,500 million to Dockyard Maritime Limited, for the supply of three Cylindrical Rubber Fenders size 1000/500 x 1500mm to the NPA, which was beyond their approved limit.
Oct292008