The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on May 23 arraign former aviation minister Hadi Sirika and his brother, Ahmad, before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Garki, on a fresh eight-count charge.
They were slated to be arraigned before Justice Suleman Belgore, but the arraignment was stalled due to the absence of Sirika and his brother in court.
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EFCC had filed an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office, criminal breach of trust, and use of position for gratification against the former minister, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, his brother, and a company, Enginos Nigeria Limited.
The anti-corruption commission had alleged that Sirika did confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego is his biological brother, Ahmad, by using his position to influence the award of contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,345,586,500.
EFCC further alleged that the former minister used his position to influence the award of contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3,811,497,685.
It was also, among others, alleged that Ahmad and Enginos Nigeria Limited had possession of an aggregate sum of N2,337,840,674.16, which they knew indirectly represented the proceeds of the criminal conduct of the former minister.
The offences, according to the EFCC, were committed in Abuja between August, 2022 and May, 2023.
According to the EFCC, the offences were contrary to the provisions of Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000; Section 17(b) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004; as well as Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory, and punishable under the same Acts.
When the case was called earlier, the prosecuting counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, informed the court that the defendants were not in court.
According to him, the defendants’ counsel had informed him that the defendants were not in Abuja, adding that they were yet to be served with the charges filed against them in court.
Atolagbe further informed the court that the defendants were not in EFCC custody after being granted administrative bail.
He, however, told the court that the prosecution would be amending the charge against the defendants earlier filed before the court.
The counsel for the defendants, Olaniyi Anjorin, confirmed to the court that what Atolagbe said about his clients was correct.
Following the prosecution’s request for an adjournment to enable the defendants to attend court to take their plea, Justice Belgore adjourned until May 23 for the arraignment of the former minister and others.