The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed fresh charges against Senate and House of Representatives Chairmen Committee on Power, Senator Nicholas Ugbane, Ndudi Elumelu in connection with the alleged N5.2 billion contracts scam in the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

The 158 fresh charges were filed at the Federal High Court, Maitama in Abuja. Twenty one corporate bodies allegedly used to siphon the funds will be arraigned with the suspects. The charges border on money laundering and embezzlement of funds.

With this latest development, Elumelu and the other suspects will be facing two separate trials on a total of 315 count charge in connection with the REA scam.

On Monday, Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal High Court, Gudu granted Elumelu and nine others bail on conditions that they provide N50 million bond, two sureties each in like sum and provide proof of three years tax clearance.

Daily Trust gathered that the suspects will not be released until they satisfy the conditions for bail.

“We have to go to the banks to ensure that the sureties who sign are indeed who they claim they are, we will go to the FIRS to verify their tax clearances.

When they bring their Certificates of Occupancy we will go to AEGIS to ensure they are authentic,” a source said.

According to the source the companies are being joined in this law suit because “when a prima facie case is established against a suspect the instruments used in the crime are culpable.”

The source said, “In this other trial they will have to be sent to prison again and if they are granted bail they will have to come up with different sureties and we intend to arraign them before Friday.”

EFCC’s Spokesman, Femi Babafemi declined comment on the matter.

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