5th October, 2012
The Special Fraud Unit, SFU, Milverton, Ikoyi, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, is investigating a case of conspiracy, misappropriation and conversion of N78 million public funds levelled against the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Kabowei Benson and 18 other members of the House.
The spokesperson of the SFU, ASP Ngozi Isintime, confirmed to P.M.NEWS Friday morning the allegations levelled against the lawmakers by the Transparency and Good Governance Coalition, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
In the petition submitted by the group, it was alleged that the lawmakers requested for approval of N78 million from the state governor to attend the 43rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Africa Regional Conference in South Africa from 29 June to 8 July, 2012 but did not attend the conference.
The group further alleged that instead of attending the conference, the lawmakers converted the public funds for their personal use.
Police investigation so far revealed that the speaker, leading other 18 members of the House, including his deputy, with the exception of Mr. Omonibeke Emelayefa and three other lawmakers, allegedly departed Nigeria for South Africa for the conference on 6 July and arrived Johannesburg on 7 July, 2012, the day the conference ended.
It was also alleged that no attempt was made by the speaker and his members to go to the venue of the conference, rather they relied on the information given to them by the Clerk and the Protocol officer that the conference had ended.
All the suspects blamed their departure/arrival for the conference on the late issuance of visa by the South African Embassy.
Further investigation revealed that only Mr. Emelayefa attended the conference and paid the conference fees of $3,500 out of the N2.3 million given to him, having arrived two days earlier.
Two other members of the House, Mr. Azibola and Mr. Angaye Fini Terah were said to have aborted the journey having realised they were already late for the conference and made refunds.
The Commissioner of Police incharge of SFU, CP Tunde Ogunsakin, said: “I am determined to prosecute the offending lawmakers and indeed all public officials that collect government funds for official trips and ended up converting the money for their personal use, if they are found culpable.”
When P.M.NEWS got across to Mr. Preye Kariamo, the Media Assistant to the Speaker on Friday to confirm the invitation of his boss and others to the Anti-Fraud Unit in Lagos, he was evasive.
“I can’t confirm any story about my boss on phone because I don’t know you and neither can I give you my boss’ phone number. And besides, I’m not in Yenagoa,” Kariamo, the Speaker’s media aide said.
However, a source in government circles in Yenagoa confirmed the invitation.
“This is an old issue. They were actually quizzed for not attending a conference in South Africa but collected about N78 million.
“In the heat of the whole episode, some paid back the money.” Meanwhile, calls put across to the Speaker, Kabowei Benson, didn’t go through.
—Oluwole Adeboye & Okafor Ofiebor/Yenagoa