Police Pension scam: Court adjourns trial

The trial of six officials of the Police Pension Fund, PPF, over alleged N35.8 billion pension scam was on Thursday, adjourned to 24 September.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and conspiracy against a suspended permanent secretary, Atiku Kigo; Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Wada, Sani Zira, John Yusuf and Veronica Onyegbula.

The adjournment was due to the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf.

Baba-Yusuf who was said to be indisposed, gave his consent for an adjournment.

The new date was agreed on by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, and the accused persons’s lead counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN.

According to NAN, at the last sitting of the court on 27 February, Baba-Yusuf had agreed that the prosecution counsel tendered a document.

The judge said that the document which contains analysis of cheques withdrawals and a copy of certificate from the EFCC, substantially complied with section 84 of the Evidence Act.

“I think that the arguments were heightened because learned counsel to the defence maintained that the documents sought to tender did not comply strictly with section 85 sub (2 and 4) of the evidence act, and that the documents were hear-say,” he said.

The judge admitted the documents in evidence and marked it as exhibits P6A and P6B.

NAN reports that the EFCC in the charge, alleged that the accused persons conspired and sequentially withdrew money from the Police Pension Fund (PPF) in an account domiciled at First Bank of Nigeria and shared it amongst themselves.

It also alleged that Wada particularly, collected N18 million from Unity Bank Plc, as his reward for retaining the Police Pension Account with the bank.

It also maintained that the fraud was perpetuated between January 2009 and June 2011.

The EFCC said the offences are punishable under Section 97, 315, 115 (ii), 119 and 309 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 2007.

If convicted, the accused face 15 years in prison. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.