A High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, remanded the former Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris, in prison custody over his alleged involvement in the illegal diversion of public funds to the tune of about N109.4 billion.

The presiding judge, Justice A.O. Adeyemi Ajayi, ordered the remand of Idris, after he was arraigned on a 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

Justice Ajayi held that the former AGF and other defendants in the matter should remain in custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) till Wednesday when their bail applications would be heard.

The Star had reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed that Idris collected a gratification of N15 billion from nine oil producing states.

The anti-graft agency stated that the ex-AGF accepted from Olusegun Akindele, a gratification in the aggregate sum of N15,136,221,921.46 for accelerating the payment of 13% derivation to the nine oil producing states in the Federation.

Akindele was a Technical Assistant to the Accountant General of the Federation between February and November 2021.

The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, noted that the sacked AGF would face trial on Friday (today).

He stated that Idris would be docked alongside three others: Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited on a 14-count charge of stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109,485,572,691.9.

READ ALSO: EFCC: How ex-AGF collected N15bn bribe to facilitate payment

Count one of the charge read: “That you, Ahmed Idris between February and December, 2021 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, being a public servant by virtue of  your position as the Accountant General of the Federation accepted from Olusegun Akindele, a gratification in the aggregate sum of N15,136,221,921.46 which sum was converted to the United States Dollars by the said Olusegun Akindele and which sum did not form part of your lawful remuneration but as a motive for accelerating the payment of 13% derivation to the nine oil producing states in the Federation, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 155 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and punishable under the same section.”

Count eight read: “That you, Ahmed Idris while being the Accountant General of the Federation and Godfrey Olusegun Akindele while being the Technical Assistant to the Accountant General of the Federation between February and November 2021, at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, in such capacity, entrusted with certain property, to wit: N84,390,000,000 committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly received the said sum from the Federal Government of Nigeria through Godfrey Olusegun Akindele trading under the name and style of Olusegun Akindele & Co., and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.”

The Star