The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned the immediate past governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, alongside his Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu, for alleged stealing and mismanagement of public funds to the tune of N5.78 billion before Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital.

Ahmed and Banu were re-arraigned on a 14-count amended charge before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar on Monday, October 21, 2024.

Their re-arraignment was sequel to the transfer of the former trial judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike, of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin to another division.

Ahmed and Banu were first arraigned on a 12-count charge of mismanagement of public funds before Justice Anyadike on April 29, 2024, to which they pleaded not guilty.

However, the presiding judge was transferred in the course of trial. Hence, the case has to start afresh.

While the name of the embattled ex-governor featured in all the 14 counts, Banu’s name did not appear in count 7 where only Ahmed was accused of failure to fill assets declaration form offered him by officers of the EFCC upon arrest, which the anti-graft agency said was contrary to Section 27(3)(c) of the EFCC Act No. 1 of 2004.

The EFCC said Ahmed allegedly spent the sum of N1,610,730,500.00 meant for the security and administration of Kwara State to charter private jets through Travel Messengers Limited, contrary to Section 22(5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

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The former governor and his finance commissioner were accused of conspiring to steal money meant to pay salaries of teachers working with the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board and also to provide security and other infrastructural facilities for the people of the state, among others.

When the case was called on Monday, the counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court: “My Lord, we have a 14-count charge dated, 15th day of October 2024, and filed on same date.

“We urge your Lordship to accept the charge and allow it to be read to the defendants.”

Responding, the lead counsel for the first and second defendants, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) and Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), did not object to the application.

Justice Abdulgafar, therefore, granted the application and ordered that the charge be read to the defendants.

The duo pleaded not guilty to their respective charge when it was read to them.

The defence counsels, through a separate application on behalf of their clients, sought the leave of the court to move oral applications for the bail of the defendants.

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The lawyers told the court that the case had started in 2019 and the defendants were granted administrative bail by the EFCC, which they said their clients had never jumped.

They urged the court to exercise its discretion to admit the first and second defendants to bail as all the offences levelled against them are bailable.

Ruling on the applications, Justice Abdulgafar admitted Ahmed and Banu to bail in the sum of N100 million with two sureties each.

The judge said one of the sureties must be a permanent secretary serving or retired.

Justice Abdulgafar, thereafter, adjourned the case till December 4 and 5, 2024, for the commencement of trial.

The Star