THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former General Manager (GM) of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Adebayo Adebowale Aderibigbe.
Aderibigbe was arraigned alongside Ogundele Mura Yisa-Yemi before Justice O. A Musa of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Jabi, Abuja.
Aderibigbe and Yisa-Yemi, a principal partner at a legal firm, M.Y. Ogundele & Co., were arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining the sum N60.4 million by false pretence.
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One of the counts reads: “That you, Ogundele Mura Yisa-Yemi (Principal Partner, M.Y. Ogundele & Co Legal Practitioners) between 2014 and 2016 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did corruptly give the aggregate sum of N60,400,000(Sixty Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) to one Sir Adebayo Adebowale Aderibigbe(whilst being a public officer as GM/Head Legal Services of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund) on account of a contract awarded to you as a consultant for Processing and Regularizing of title deeds and survey plans for the property of the fund at Era village Oto-awori. Ijanikin, Badagry expressway, Lagos, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 8 (11) (b) of the same Act.”
The accused persons pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to them.
Counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants, J.A. Karon and I.O. Salawudeen, prayed the court to grant the accused persons bail.
EFCC counsel, Faruk Abdallah, did not oppose the bail bids but prayed the court to set terms that would ensure that the two defendants present themselves for trial.
The judge granted the defendants bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety each in like sum.
The surety is expected to be a deputy director in a federal ministry. Sureties are also expected to deposit their letters of appointment and clear pictures of their residences showing them standing in front of the houses.
The judge adjourned the matter till February 21 and 23 for trial.
NSITF was created to provide compensation to insured employees who suffer from occupational hazards, or sustain injuries or disability from an accident at work or in the course of employment, whether at the usual place of work or outside of it.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance