SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 BY AGENCY REPORTER 9 COMMENTS
A prosecution witness in the trial of former Minister of the FCT, Nasir el-Rufai, Mr. Sunday Idowu, insisted  that the ex-minister illegally allocated plot 1201 to his family members, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Tuesday.
Idowu, an EFCC officer, who led the investigations which facilitated the arraignment of el-Rufai and two others, said  the accused revoked the land belonging to the PHCN and allocated over 10 plots to himself and friends.
Arraigned with el-Rufai are Altine Jibrin, former Director-General of the Abuja Geographic Information System and its former General Manager, Ismail Iro.
The EFCC is charging the trio for abuse of public office and illegal conversion of a land meant for the construction of transmitting/injection sub-stations of the PHCN in Asokoro.
They were also alleged to have conspired and converted plot 3352 located in Maitama, belonging to NIPOST for the construction of district post office.

El-Rufai is accused of allocating 10 plots of land in Asokoro District in various sizes to his family members, including his two wives, Hadiza and Hasiya.

The EFCC claimed that he committed the offence between 2003 and 2007.

At the resumed hearing presided by Justice Abubakar Umar of the FCT High Court, Idowu also said that during the investigation, he did not come across any letter from PHCN asking the FCT minister to reduce the parcel of land.

Idowu, during cross- examination by Chief Kanu Agabi, counsel for  Iro,  said  he did not come across any letter written by the PHCN that it no longer required the land for a 330kva corridor at the site.

He said it was not only the 10 family members and friends of el-Rufai that were named as beneficiaries of the land allocation on plot 1201.

Idowu said  the daughter of a former Executive Director of the FCDA, Alhaji Mohammed Alhassan, also benefited from the allocation.

During further cross- examination by Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), counsel for el-Rufai and Jibrin, Idowu agreed that the power to allocate and revoke land in the FCT was vested in the minister.

He also agreed that a minister of the FCT and his/her family members had a right to own land anywhere in the country.

Regarding the revoked NIPOST plot in Maitama, Idowu said it was meant for a Post Office, but he did not know the terms of  allocation.

He said he was also not aware that NIPOST sought a declaration to void the revocation, or that NIPOST’s civil action was pending before the criminal case was filed.

Idowu also denied knowing that NIPOST had leased the land to Rosehill, a private firm to develop the area.

He affirmed that he read the statement of el- Rufai; but when told that the first accused disclosed NIPOST’s lease to Rosehill in that statement, Idowu said he could not remember everything about the case.

When asked why the Rosehill lease was not investigated, Idowu said NIPOST did not disclose it.

Further testifying, Idowu said he did not know that Rosehill requested el-Rufai to transfer the NIPOST allocation to them,  but he conceded that the FCT minister has the right to allocate and revoke land titles.

Justice Umar adjourned  further hearing in the case till  November 8 for the EFCC to produce its witnesses.

http://www.punchng.com/news/el-rufai-allocated-phcn-plots-to-wives-friends-witness/

This corrupt man don admit him crime since, why Him dey hire lawyer again? He admitted to his crime voluntarily, he should plead guilty and face the consequences

https://www.nairaland.com/1014943/el-rufai-allocated-land-family-members

So the self acclaimed purist is also corrupt? If he has admitted to his crime, sentence should be passed. He is simply part of those that don't want Nigerians to enjoy power. Barawo

It seems mallam had soft spot for women cos most of the plots were allocated to women and girls, where was I o, mayb I wud hav bin a land owner in abj now...but one thing baffles me, now that he isn't in power, he claims to b without blamish, that he was d best nig ever had, criticizin every step taken by the present govt, I think it doesn't make sense at all, going to equity with cleans is d ideal thing...let d law hav tk charge.

It is an open secret that the short mallam is a big rogue,my concern is how he cannot keep his mouth shut despite the fact that his hands are not clean,nobody should be above the law,stealing is stealing he should face the wrath of law when found guilty.

I ve said it here ova and ova, tym without number that Elrufia has never bin upright in his doings esp when he was in power, hw can he be claiming to be a saint yet he abused his office during his reign, itz just too bad..Imagine wot Nigerians r going tru now, no steady light,itz even better now that GEJ is making tremendous effort to restore steady power supply, if Elrufia didn't alocate PHCN's land probably a beta power station wud hav bin built by now, na wa *smh .. Anyway I hop d law catches up on him.

CODE OF CONDUCT BUREAU AND TRIBUNAL ACT

5. A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal
interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.
6. Without prejudice to the generality of section 5 of this Act, a public
officer shall not-
(a) receive or be paid the emoluments of any public office at the
same time as he receives or is paid the emoluments of any other public
office; or
(b) except where he is not employed on full time basis, engage or
participate in the management or running of any private business,
profession or trade; but nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a public
officer from engaging in farming or participating in the management or
running of any farm.
7. Any public officer specified in the second schedule to this Act or any
other persons as the Armed Forces Ruling Council, may from time to
time, by other prescribe shall not maintain or operate a bank account in
any country outside Nigeria.
8. A public officer shall not after his retirement from public service and
while receiving pension from public funds, accept more than one
remunerative position as chairman, director or employee of a company
owned or controlled by any Government or public funds in addition to
his pension and the emolument of such remunerative position.
9. Retired public officers who have held offices to which this section
applies are prohibited from service or employment in foreign
companies or foreign enterprises
10. (1) A public officer shall not ask for or accept any property or
benefits of any kind for himself or any other person on account of
anything done or omitted to be done by him in the discharge of his
duties.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, the receipt
by a public officer of any gifts or benefits from commercial firms,
business enterprises or persons who have contracts with the Government shall be presumed to have been received in contravention
of subsection(1) of this section, unless the contrary is proved.
(3) A public officer shall only accept personal gifts or benefits
from relatives or personal friends to such extent and on such occasions
as are recognized by custom:
Provided that any gift or benefit to a public officer on any public or
ceremonial occasion shall be treated as gifts or benefits to the
appropriate institution represented by the public officer, and
accordingly, the mere acceptance or receipt of any such gift shall not
be treated as a contravention of this provision.
11. The president or Vice-president, Governor or Deputy Governor,
Minister of the Government of the Federation or commissioner of the
Government of a state or any other public officer who holds office of a
Director- General or head of any public corporation, university, or other
parastal organisation shall not accept-
(a) a loan, except from government or any of its agencies or a bank,
building society or other financial institution recognized by law; or
(b) any benefit of whatever nature from any company, contactor,
businessman or the nominee or agent of such person:
Provided that the head of a public corporation or of a university or
other parastal organisation may, subject to the rules and regulations of
any such body, accept a loan from any such body.
12. No person shall offer a public officer any property, gift or benefit of
any kind as an inducement or bribe for the granting of any favor or the
discharge in his favor of the public officers duties.
13. A public officer shall not do or direct to be done, in abuse of his
office, any act prejudicial to the rights of any other person, knowing
that such act is unlawful or contrary to any government policy.
14. A public officer shall not be a member of or belong to or take part
in any society the membership of which is incompatible with the
function or dignity of his office.
15. (1) Every public officer shall, within fifteen months after the coming
into force of this Act or immediately after taking office and thereafter-
(a) at the end of every four years;
(b) at the end of his term of office; and
(c) in the case of a serving officer, within thirty days of the receipt of
the form from the Bureau or at such other intervals as the Bureau or at
such other intervals as the Bureau may specify,
submit to the Bureau a written declaration in the Form prescribed in the
first Schedule to this Act or, in such form as the Bureau may, from time
to time, specify, of all his properties, assets and liabilities and those of
his spouse or unmarried children under the age of twenty-one years. (2) Any statement in any declaration that is found to be false by any
authority or person authorized in that behalf to verify it shall be d
deemed to be a breach of this act.
(3) Any property or assets acquired by a public officer after any
declaration required by subsection (1) of this section and which is not
fairly attributable to income, gifts or loan approved by this Act shall be
deemed to have been acquired in breach of this Act unless the contrary
is proved.
16. Any complaint that a public officer has committed a breach of or
has not complied with the provisions of this Act shall be made to the
Bureau.
17. A public officer who does any act prohibited by this Act through a
nominee, trustee or other agent shall be deemed ipso facto to have
committed a breach of this act.


this is serious.

The court should should speed up the prosecution process and let the law take its full cause, after all el rufai has admitted that he actually revoked and allocated these lands/plots to his cronies and allies........abuse of office

This man should be sent to jail. CCB&TA should be invoked. He once admitted that he arbitrary allocated 8 plots to himself. This is enough for him to be nailed.

Idokojimmy: This corrupt man don admit him crime since, why Him dey hire lawyer again? He admitted to his crime voluntarily, he should plead guilty and face the consequences

https://www.nairaland.com/1014943/el-rufai-allocated-land-family-members

Hehehehehehe. A man who sees nothing good in people's Govt finally admits that he carried out illegal deals as FCT Minister. Is he aware of the pains the 8 people whose plots were revoked passed through? Can a man like this now define what leadership means? Yesterday he called those around him clueless, today he admits that he is a criminal. God don dey catch am. #naijagobeta
My view hasn't changed.

He admitted it on twitter. Though he admitted giving out "only" 8 plots

El rufai,the master strategist who only sees other people's fault....this is a very grave offense he should be punished appropriately maybe he may learn his lessons.

Enemy of progress.

Ratatatatatata kpooooom! This man should be shot with an Ak 47 in the leg. Barawo

It is a shame that the most vocal critic of the transformation agenda has been roped in criminal conducts. His action shows that his is anti progressive.

Wait untill his is proven guilty by the court of law

Omojuo: Wait untill his is proven guilty by the court of law

Someone that has proven himself guilty already? How does he intend to defend himself? He admitted that he stole only 8 plots, although the record said more. Or is it becos I recommended that he be shot in the leg? I think you should be shot in the head for supporting a thief. Or are u a beneficiary?

Like Obj, I just the laff

Ak47 bullet: Ratatatatatata kpooooom! This man should be shot with an Ak 47 in the leg. Barawo