Niger State House of Assembly Director of Finance, Ibrahim Musa and eight other staff of the accounts department have been arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court 1 in Minna over an alleged theft of N11,670,000 from the director’s office.
Those arrested and charged are the Director of Finance, Ibrahim Musa, Saidu Aliyu, Nma Ndanusa, Bello Mohammed, Jibrin Hamma, Yahaya Sadiq, Bashir Shuaibu, Mohammed Shaba and Abu Mashood, all of the accounts department of the Assembly.
The police also charged the Finance Director on a separate First Information Report (FIR) accusing him of negligence of duty and failure to properly supervise his personnel.
The other eight officers were charged for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation, cheating and theft contrary to section 97, 312, 309 322 and 288 of the penal code law.
The FIR report said a compliant was lodged at the Tudun Wada police station about the missing money by the Assembly Sergeant at Arm Ibrahim Abubakar on 3/10/20, adding that the money was entrusted in care of the account officers by some honourable members of the Assembly.
Police investigation revealed the money was kept in a file shelve instead of security safe in the office the director of finance with the intent to steal the money later.
When, the charges were read by the presiding Chief Magistrate 1, Nasir Muazu, the accused account officers pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, ASP Ahmed Saidu did not object to the bail of the director of finance, but prayed the court to remand the 8 other persons.
He, however, requested that the suspects be kept in correctional facility in Minna, saying granting them bail will jeopardize investigation into the case.
But, in an oral application, the defense lawyer, Bar. Baba Isah begged the Magistrate to grant bail to the accused, while assuring that they will not jump bail as they will produce reasonable sureties if granted bail.
The FIR report said a compliant was lodged at the Tudun Wada police station about the missing money by the Assembly Sergeant at Arm, Ibrahim Abubakar on 3/10/20 adding that the money was entrusted in care of the account officials by some honourable members of the Assembly.
The presiding Magistrate granted bail to the Director of Finance, Ibrahim Musa N1,000,000 bail and a surety in like sum who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.
The Magistrate then ordered that the eight other accused persons be kept in Minna correctional facility and adjourned the case to 12th October, 2020.
