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UPDATED: Chief Bode George To Remain in EFCC Custody Till Next Tuesday

August 7, 2008
SaharaReporters, New York

Chief Bode George, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart was arraigned before   arraigned before an Ikeja High Court with Justice Olubunmi  Oyewole presiding. He was slammed with 163 counts of fraud, abuse of office and embezzlement of public funds while he was the board chairman of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA). Chief George was flown to the Lagos office of the EFCC from Abuja and spent a good deal of yesterday writing his statements and answering questions from EFCC investigators.

George was arraigned with four others namely: Architect Aminu Dabo, Zanna Mai Deribe, Akin O. Abidoye, Alhaji Abdullahi Aminu Tafida, they were all charged before the Ikeja High court. The judge struck out the name of one R.S Anah who was said to be currently "At large" by EFCC prosecutors.

Saharareporters had earlier reported of intrigues between the EFCC and the Lagos CJ who did not appear in court today.  Aides to the CJ earlier claimed that today was the CJ's birthday hence he couldn't come to court.
 
The EFCC arrived with Chief George to the Ikeja division of the Lagos High Court at exactly 8 :00 AM to the waiting hands of journalists.
 However, the proceedings only started after the EFCC had left in frustration hoping to return on Monday. Saharareporters sources said that about 4:00 PM Justice Oyewole surfaced and took on the case.

The EFCC has accordingly arraigned Bode George on a 164 -count charge alongside 4  other former management staff of the Nigeria Port Authority with whom he allegedly embezzled N84 billion naira in contract awards that violated federal guidelines for awarding contracts. Over 24,000 contracts were awarded to phony contractors within the period in question.

 The proceedings were almost marred by the arrival of Chief George's political supporters to the court, the PDP crowd led by one Muyiwa Collins, started gathering as early as  9 : 00 AM today, but  200 policemen  mobilized to the scene to quell any riots that might ensue.  The crowd thinned out after 6: 00 PM midway into the court proceedings that lasted till 8:00 PM.

The arraignment of Chief George took a long time because the court  started late as all the 163 charges had to be read to him and 4 other defendants.  After taking their plea Justice Oyewole adjourned till next week  Tuesday after requesting the EFCC to keep the accused persons in their custody till the next adjourned court date.

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