27th June, 2012
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Tuesday, June 26, 2012, arraigned Mr. Bello Tambuwal, 34, of Tambuwal Global Motors Limited, before Justice Mohammed Talba of the FCT High Court, Gudu District, Abuja on a one count charge of criminal breach of trust.
The charge reads: “That you, Alhaji Bello Mohammed Tambuwal on or about 15th day of December, 2009 at Abuja, in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory being entrusted with certain property, to wit, a Lincoln Navigator Jeep motor vehicle belonging to one Chief Damian Ozorumba committed criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria ( Abuja ) 1990”.
Tambuwal’s trial followed a petition to the EFCC by Chief Damian Ozorumba dated February 5, 2010. Ozorumba had alleged that on the 15th of December, 2009, Tambuwal approached him and indicated interest to buy his Lincoln Navigator SUV for an agreed sum of N11, 500,000 (Eleven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira).
The petitioner said that two days after the accused took possession of the vehicle, he informed the owner that Sokoto state governor, Alhaji Aliyu M. Wamako was the prospective buyer and promised to pay the complainant the agreed sum on the 19th of December, 2009 but failed to do so.The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.The defence counsel, Onuoha Ogbujie thereafter applied for bail supported with a five paragraph affidavit. But this was objected to by the prosecution counsel, A. R. Mmatoh who argued that the defence has not placed sufficient material before the Court to guarantee that the accused person will not jump bail since he already has a record for jumping bail with the EFCC; and that he has a similar case pending before another court. After listening to the argument of counsel, Justice Talba ordered that the accused be remanded in EFCC custody and adjourned to 2nd July, 2012 for ruling on the bail application.