A civil society group, Kwara Must Change (KMC), has expressed displeasure over the resolution of the Kwara State House of Assembly that Mr. Sani Adebayo, Executive Director of the state-government owned Harmony Holdings Limited, be made to refund N20million out of the money he stole from the firm within 90 days.
KMC made its position know in a statement signed on its behalf by Mr. Abdulrazaq Hamzat. The group described the resolution as scandalous and bizarre, given the scale of looting perpetrated by Mr. Adebayo.
“Kwara Must Change is surprised that despite establishing the fact that Mr. Adebayo criminally stole government land, allocated Kwara State assets to himself without due process and also continually received payment on government properties in his personal account for years, all the State House of Assembly could do was to order him to refund N20million,” said the group.
The House of Assembly, on Tuesday, ordered the immediate dissolution of the board and management of Harmony Holdings Limited over alleged misappropriation of Kwara Government Assets in Abuja, Kwara, Lagos and Kaduna states. The order was part of the resolutions of the House after adopting the report of its Ad-hoc Committee on allegations of misappropriation of assets under the care of Harmony Holdings Limited.
While reading the resolution, Dr. Ali Ahmad, Speaker of the House, ordered Mr. Adebayo to refund the sum of N20 million, the market value of an expansive piece of land he unilaterally allocated to himself. The land is situated at Casement Road, GRA llorin.
“We condemn this shallow resolution, which in our opinion, is to shield the alleged criminal from prosecution. Does that mean there is no punishment for criminality in Kwara State? Does that also mean any government appointee can simply go ahead to ask the public to pay into his personal account without any consequences?” asked KMC.
It maintained that it is criminal for Mr. Adebayo allocate
government assets to himself, receive payment of dues, charges and for other government services in his personal account.
The group called on the Kwara State government to
immediately prosecute Mr. Adebayo for not only stealing government assets, but also for diverting government funds to his personal accounts.
“What this man deserves is jail, not sympathy from the Kwara State House of Assembly and any attempt to protect the culprit will be treated as culpability,” stated KMC.