The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Wednesday March 5, 2014 re-arraigned Garba Abdullahi Tahir and Charbo Bureau De Change Limited before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court Abuja, on a 23-count charge bordering on fraud amounting to N514.9 million allegedly obtained from the Pension Account, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation of Nigeria.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Wednesday March 5, 2014 re-arraigned Garba Abdullahi Tahir and Charbo Bureau De Change Limited before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court Abuja, on a 23-count charge bordering on fraud amounting to N514.9 million allegedly obtained from the Pension Account, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation of Nigeria.
One of the counts reads: “That you Garba Abdullahi Tahir on or about the 13th of July 2009 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, obtained for yourself by false pretences and with intent to defraud, through your Ecobank Plc account various sums of money amounting in the aggregate to N3,820,800 ( Three Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira) from the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Pension Account held by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation of Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act,2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act, 2006.”
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The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution counsel, Godwin Obla, SAN told the court that he was ready for trial but asked for a short adjournment to enable him regularize processes as a result of the amendment and the new practice directive.
The defence counsel, Nicholas Eku, on the other hand asked the court for 21 days to enable him study the new proof of evidence and the amended charge. He, however, prayed the court to allow the accused to continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted to him by the court.
Justice Kolawole adjourned the case to April 9, May 7 and 8, 2014 for commencement of trial while the accused is to enjoy the terms of the bail earlier granted him by the court.
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Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
5th March, 2014
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