Daily Independent Online.
*
Wednesday, July 07, 2004.
Ex-NFA Sec-Gen, two others arraigned over N1.2m fraud
From Rotimi Fadeyi,
Senior
Correspondent, Abuja
Former
Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Dr. Ahmed Tijani
Yusuf, the Head of Accounts, Mr. Tim Abari and another worker of the
association, Mr. Adelowo John were on Tuesday arraigned before an Abuja High
Court on an 11-count charge of N1.2 million fraud.
The
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)
arraigned them on Tuesday before Justice Isaq Bello, at the court in Gwagwalada
area of the Federal Capital Territory. They were however granted bail after
each of them pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Specifically,
Yusuf was accused of conspiring with Abari to pay themselves the sum of N1.2
million for a non-existent contract and also charged with collecting N800, 000
from the coffers of the NFA.
Yusuf,
who is now a Deputy Director, Sports Development in the Federal Ministry of
Sports and Social Development, was also accused of presenting a fake quotation
issued by Tenmins Nigeria Limited to commit the fraudulent act in December
2000.
The
ICPC prosecutor, Henry Emore, told the court that Abari was charged for
collecting the sum of N400, 000 from the coffers of the NFA for a non-existent
contract while John was accused colluding with them to pay the money from NFA
account.
Yusuf
and Abari were jointly charged in three of the 11-count charge while each of
them also faces separate two-count charge. John was charged on four counts.
The
prosecutor told the court that the 11-count charge against the three NFA
officials are offences that contravene sections 16,19 and 26 of the ICPC Act.
Further
hearing in the case has been adjourned to September 23.
