Ex-Vice Chancellor arraigned for N260m contract fraud

A former Vice Chancellor of Federal University Gusau, Prof. Magaji Garba was on Tuesday arraigned before Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, Abuja on a five-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and forgery.

He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He allegedly extorted various sums from a contractor on the pretext of awarding him a N3 billion contract for the perimeter wall fencing of the university.

The offence is contrary to section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.

Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Professor Magaji Garba, whilst being the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gusau on or about the 15^th of May, 2019 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N100,000,000 from Alhaji Shehu Umar Sambo, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Ministaco Nigeria Limited, a contractor executing the construction of the Grand Convocation Square of the Federal University, Gusau under the false pretence of awarding a project for the perimeter wall fencing of the University valued at the total sum of N3, billion which representation/pretense you knew to be false”.

Count three reads: “That you, Professor Magji Garba, whilst being the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gusau on or about the 1st August, 2019 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N150 million from Alhaji Shehu Umar Sambo, Managing Director/Chief Executive officer of Ministaco Nigeria Limited, a contract executing the construction of the Grand Convocation Square at the Federal University, Gusau under the false pretence of awarding a project for the perimeter wall fencing of the University valued at the total sum of N3 billion, which representation/ pretense you knew to be false.”

The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the charges were read to him.

Upon his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, asked for a trial date, and requested that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.

But the defence counsel, R. Usman applied for the bail of his client.

The application was, however, opposed by the prosecuting counsel on the ground that he was only served today, at about 10:33a.m.

Justice Aliyu after listening to the argument of the counsel, adjourned the matter until Thursday, October 14, 2021 for hearing of the bail application and remanded the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.