Efcc Lists 13 Witnesses Against Bode George

Tuesday, August 12, 2008  Printer Friendly Version

Alleged N100bn fraud: EFCC lists 13 witnesses against Bode George

By Kayode Ketefe


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has listed 13 witnesses to testify against the former Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Chief Olabode George.




Bode George


 





The commission arraigned George on Friday before an Ikeja High Court for allegedly awarding contracts worth N100bn ”without due process” during his tenure as the chairman of the NPA.

He was arraigned on a 163-count charge alongside the former Managing Director of the NPA, Mr. Aminu Dabo and three others.

The other three co-defendants are Alhaji Abdullahi Tafida, Captain O. Abidoye and Alhaji Zanna Maidaribe.

The witnesses are listed in the proof of evidence filed by the commission, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent.

The proof of evidence shows that four of the 13 witnesses are investigators with the EFCC and they are all scheduled to testify and tender documents against George and the four other accused persons.

This four-man team of EFCC investigators will be led by Mr. Bamanga Bello, who was assigned to probe the financial impropriety that allegedly rocked the NPA during Geroge‘s tenure in 2001.

Justice Oyewole had on Friday, remanded the defendants in EFCC’s custody and adjourned the hearing of their application for bail till Tuesday (today).

The alleged offences against the defendants comprised conspiracy to disobey lawful authority, disobedience of lawfully constituted authority with intent to defraud and abuse of office.

The defendants were alleged to have committed the offences with others now at large, between October 1, 2001 and May 6, 2003.


In the particulars of the charge, George and the four others were alleged to have conspired to disobey the Federal Government‘s directive, issued through the Ministry of Finance, which limited the monetary amount contracts any the government ministry or parastatal could award.

The directive, contained in a circular no F15775 and dated June 27, 2001 was tagged ”Policy Guidelines for Procurement and Award of Contracts in Government‘s Ministries and Parastatals”.

The accused persons were alleged to have flagrantly flouted this policy guidelines and awarded numerous multi-billion naira contracts to various companies. These contracts were said to be ”beyond the approved powers” of the accused persons.

It was also stated that accused approved these illegal contracts in naira, dollars and euros denominations despite knowing that it was only the Minister of Transport who had the authority to award contract in excess of N20m.





http://odili.net/news/source/2008/aug/12/427.html

Let him dole out money and buy the best attorney in Nigeria. As for those EFCC witnesses, i pity them.

Hope these witnesses stay alive.