Fraud: Buhari’s ex-aide, Obono-Obla, for second arraignment Monday
Friday Olokor
The police will next week Monday arraign Mr Okoi Obono-Obla, a former Special Assistant on Prosecutions to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Counsel for the ex-presidential aide, Paul Erokoro (SAN), told journalists in Abuja on Friday that the police planned to arraign his client before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Kwali, Abuja.
This was shortly after Obono-Obla and two others were arraigned for an alleged fraud of N19,994,185 by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission on Friday.
The ICPC had arraigned Obono-Obla alongside his ex-aide, Aliyu Ibrahim, and the Managing Director of ABR Global Petroleum Resources Ltd, Daniel Omughele, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo, Abuja.
• To Be Re-Arraigned On Similar Charge On Monday, Says Lawyer
Former Special Assistant on Prosecution to President Muhammadu Buhari, Okoi Obono-Obla, and two others, were yesterday arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo on a 10- count charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
Obono-Obla, who was earlier suspended by Buhari as chairman of the disbanded Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), was arraigned alongside his Senior Assistant, Special Duties (Protocol), Aliyu Ibrahim, and Managing Director, ABR Global Petroleum Resources Limited, Daniel Omughele.
The defendants were accused of diverting N19, 994,185.00 meant for the furnishing of SPIP offices.Obono-Obla was also accused of forging his academic credentials.
Obla was accused of dishonestly using as genuine, “a Mary Knoll College, Ogoja General Certificate of Education, Ordinary Level, May/June 1982 (GCE) Statement of Result for Ofem Okoi Ofem with candidate No: 09403/247 showing an O’Level credit (6) score for Literature in English.”
The ICPC further accused him of using same as part of the five O’Level credit requirement to study Law for the 1985/86 academic session in University of Jos, knowing same to be forged.
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Defence lawyers: Paul Erokoro (SAN) , Abel Ozioko, and Emmanuel Okere applied for their bail on liberal terms. Which was not opposed by the prosecution counsel, Samuel Ipinlaiye.
Alex Enumah in Abuja
Chairman of the now disbanded Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Mr Okoi Obono-Obla, was on Friday arraigned alongside two others before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo, Abuja over allegations bordering on fraud.
Obono-Obla and his co-defendants were arraigned on a 10-count charge brought against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
The other defendants include his (Obobo-Obla’s) Senior Assistant, Special Duties (Protocol), Aliyu Ibrahim, and the Managing Director of ABR Global Petroleum Resources Ltd, Daniel Omughele.
The ICPC specifically accused the former SPIP Chairman of conspiring with the others to divert N19,994,185.00 meant for the furnishing of SPIP offices.