N2.4bn Fraud: Court Remands Bayelsa AG, 2 Others in Kuje Prison

San Francisco March 24, (THEWILL) - A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered that the Bayelsa State Accountant General, Mr. Francis Okokuro, the Director of Treasury, Abbot Clinton and the Director of Finance, Mr. Ikobho Anthony Howells be remanded in Kuje prison till April 13 when their trial is expected to commence.

The three Officials were arraigned before Justice D.V Okorowo of FHC on a six-count charge of money laundering and diversion of public funds totaling over N2.4 billion.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty when charges were read to them. Thereafter, their lawyer, Barrister Osanyande made an oral application for bail but prosecution counsel, Festus Keyamo however opposed the move. He urged the court to fix a date for trial while expressing his preparedness for trial.

The trial Judge aligned with the position of the prosecution and fixed April 13 for the commencement of trial while he ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Kuje prison.

The officials were arrested in Bayelsa by EFCC operatives last Tuesday and detained on a court order.

The six count charges read:

"That you, Francis Okokuro, Abbot T. Clinton, Ikobho Anthony Howells and Dr. Charles Sylva Osuala (now at large) sometime between October, 2009 and February, 2010, at various places in Nigeria, including Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did conspire to commit a crime to wit: conversion of properties and resources amounting to N2, 000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) belonging to Bayelsa State Government and derived from an illegal act, with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said amount and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act), 2004 and punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act. 

"That you, Francis Okokuro, Abbot T. Clinton, Ikobho Anthony Howells and Dr. Charles Sylva Osuala (now at large) on or about the 22^nd of January, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N380, 000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Eighty Million Naira), property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one Habibu Sani Maigidia, a Bureau De Change Operator with Account No. 221433478108, in Fin Bank, Plc, which sum you knew represented the proceeds of an illegal act with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said illegal act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act. 

"That you, Francis Okokuro, Abbot T. Clinton, Ikobho Anthony Howells and Dr. Charles Sylva Osuala (now at large) on or about the 5^th of February, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N50, 000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira), property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one Enson Benmer Limited with Account No. 6152030001946, in First Bank, Plc, which sum you knew represented the proceeds of an illegal act with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said illegal act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act. 

"That you, Francis Okokuro, Abbot T. Clinton, Ikobho Anthony Howells and Dr. Charles Sylva Osuala (now at large) on or about the 5^th of February, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N20, 000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira), property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one John Daukoru with Account No. 04800250000418, in United Bank for Africa, Plc, which sum you knew represented the proceeds of an illegal act with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said illegal act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act.

"That you, Francis Okokuro, Abbot T. Clinton, Ikobho Anthony Howells and Dr. Charles Sylva Osuala (now at large) sometime between October, 2009 and February, 2010, at various places in Nigeria, including Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did conspire to commit a crime to wit: inducing Union Bank, Plc, with the intent to defraud, to deliver to Bayelsa State Government the sum of N2, 000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira), under the false pretence of using the amount to augment salaries of the Bayelsa State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2004. 

"That you, Francis Okokuro, Abbot T. Clinton, Ikobho Anthony Howells and Dr. Charles Sylva Osuala (now at large) sometime between October, 2009 and February, 2010, at various places in Nigeria, including Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court induced Union Bank, Plc, with the intent to defraud, to grant an overdraft facility of the sum of N2, 000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) to the Bayelsa State Government under the false pretence of using the amount to augment salaries of the Bayelsa State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2004 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act."