– The anti-corruption agency docked former PICOMSS boss, Atawodi and businessman Hassan
– They accused the duo of defrauding the government of over N600m through suspicious contracts
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Saliu Atawodi a former chairman, Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety (PICOMSS), and one Rabiu Hassan and his company, Hypertech Nigeria Limited over N600m fraud.
This was contained in a statement by the anti-graft agency made available to NAIJ.com.
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The duo were arraigned before Justice U. P. Kekemeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.
They were accused of defrauding the government of over N600m through doubtful contracts to purchase army boats.
‘‘That you, A.V.M. Saliu Atawodi (retd.), whilst serving as the Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security (PICOMSS), Rabiu Hassan and Hypertech (Nig) Ltd on or about the 28th day of November, 2011 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court with intent to defraud did conspire to obtain property by false pretence to wit: the sum of Six Hundred and Twenty Million Nine Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira (N620,910,0000 , property of the Federal Government under the pretence that the money represents payment for the supply of six piece of K-38 Armored patrol boats to Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security (PICOMSS) and which pretense you knew was false,’’ one of the counts reads.
The accused duo pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
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The prosecution counsel Mohammed Bello asked the court for a trial date.
Meanwhile, counsels to the first defendant, Karina Tunyan, SAN, asked the court to grant his client bail awaiting his trial.
Shareef Mohammed, the counsel to the second defendant, advised the court to grant his client bail, claiming that the defendant, whom he defined as a whistle blower, had not jumped the administrative bail granted him by the commission.
The prosecution counsel: “I agree that the complainant granted an administrative bail to the defendants and they did not jump bail. However, it is because they do not know what they are up against and bail is at the discretion of the court.
‘‘It is true that the second defendant is a whistleblower, but the EFCC is an investigating agency; it investigates to establish a prima facie case and a prima facie case was established against the second defendant from the proof of evidence.’’
Justice further postponed the trial to May 16, 2016 for ruling on the bail applications and ordered the defendants to be remanded in Kuje prison.
The post Just In: EFCC sends ex-PICOMSS boss Atawodi to Kuje prison (pics) appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM (Nigerian newspapers).
