Barrister Bala James Ngilari, former Adamawa State
governor
The Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC)
has arraigned former
Adamawa State governor,
Barrister Bala James Ngillari
over N160 million contracts.
The former governor as well
as two of his subordinates,
Ibrahim Welye, former
Secretary to the State
Government (SSG) and
Barrister Sanda Lamurde,
former finance Commissioner
were arraigned on Tuesday
on 17-count charges ranging
from criminal conspiracy to
award of contract for
purchase of 25 cars at the cost
of N160 million without
following due process.
The accused, all of whom
pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the
charged were read to them,
had allegedly awarded the
contract without obtaining
the certificate of ‘No
Objection’ from the state
procurement agency.
While calling for adjournment,
counsel to the EFCC, Ahmad
Muttaka asked the court to
remand the accused in prison,
a position objected to by the
counsels to the accused,
Akamode Abayomi and
Leonard Nzadon who
requested that their clients be
kept in EFCC custody, arguing
that the accused had already
been granted administrative
bail by the anti-graft agency
and had been reporting to the
commission.
The Presiding Judge, Justice
Nathan Musa of the Adamawa
State High Court, sitting in
Yola ruled that the accused
persons be remanded in EFCC
custody until Thursday
September 22 when he would
rule on their bail applications.
-DAILY TRUST