The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Jabi, Abuja has ordered the remind of a former Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ngozi Olejeme in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).over an alleged N3bn fraud.
Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu issued the order on Thursday after Olejeme was arraigned on a nine-count charge in which she was accused of abusing her office, receiving bribe, awarding contracts without due process, among others totaling about N3billion .
In one of the counts, Olejeme was alleged to have “dishonestly received the sum of N22,200,000.00” from a contractor with NSITF into her personal account No. 32327505058110 at GT Bank.
Olejeme was also accused of receiving $48,485,127.00, which was dollars equivalent of some funds received from contractors as “kickback.”
She pleaded not guilty when the charge was read, following which the prosecuting lawyer, Steve Odiase sought a date for the commencement of trial.
The defence lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN) informed the court about his client’s bail application, which he proceeded to move. He urged the court to grant her bail either on self recognisance or on liberal terms.
Erokoro said the defendant returned to the country in 2017 on her own volition on hearing that she was being wanted for questioning by the EFCC.
He said she reported to the EFCC, questioned and was granted bail, adding that she has been reporting to the EFCC since then.
Erokoro assured that since the defendant has remained faithful to the bail granted her by the EFCC, she will be available for trial.
He added that the bail application was based on medical grounds, which include that she has been diabetic and hypertensive for 30 years; she, in recent time, had four surgeries in the United States and South Africa.
Erokoro told the court that the defendant suffered heart failure four months ago and also suffered COVID-19, but currently recovering from it.
He said the defendants is scheduled for one follow-up surgery next month in South Africa, and that his client would apply for permission to travel for that purpose.
Odiase said he was no opposed to the defendant being granted bail, but would prefer that she be granted conditional bail, requiring that she produced a surety pending the conclusion of the trial.
Ruling, Justice Aliyu adjourned till Friday for ruling on the bail application and ordered that the defendant be kept in the custody of the EFCC.
The charge reads: *Count 1: What you Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) dishonestly received the sum of N22,200,000.00 (twenty two million, two hundred thousand naira) in your personal account No. 32327505058110 at GT Bank from Hybrid Investment Advisors Limited, a contracting firm in NSITF as a kickback to facilitate some contracts without due process and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (a) (b) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the same Section.
*Count 2:That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) dishonestly received a total sum of $48,485,127.00 (forty eight million, four hundred and eighty-five thousand, one hundred and twenty even dollars) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 from one Chuka C. Eze, Henry Sambo Ekhasorni, Aliyu Zubairu being the dollar equivalents of naira paid to BDCs directly from NSITF accounts and by contracting firms in NSITF as kickbacks to facilitate some contracts without due process and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) (a) (b) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the same Section.
*Count 3 That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) dishonestly received the sum of N350,000,000.00 (three hundred and fifty million naira) paid into Able Jes Nigeria Limited GT Bank account No: 323277283110 a company you have interest and used your position to confer unfair advantages upon the said company by receiving various payments from BDCs the sum of N20,670,000.00 (twenty million, six hundred and seventy naira) by one Hassan Kano a BDC operator on the 26th April, 2013; the sum of N236,350,000.00 (two hundred and thirty six million, three hundred and fifty thousand naira paid by one Musa Adamu a BDC operator on the 21th of April, 2013; the sum of N20,670,000.00 (twenty million, six hundred and seventy thousand naira paid by Mansur Abubakar a BDC operator on the 30th April, 2013; the sum of N1i16,160,000.00 (sixteen million, one hundred and sixty thousand naira paid by one Dauda Bullama on the 30th April, 2013; and the sum of N36,570,000.00 (thirty six million, five hundred and seventy thousand naira) paid by one Sauki BDC operator on the 8th of May, 2013 thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19 and punishable under the same section of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence Act 2000.
*Count 4 That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejenie being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) received benefit to do favour in the discharging of your official duties to (NSITF) by receiving the sum of N505,000,000.00 (five hundred and five million naira) from Sir Adebayo Adebowale Aderibigbe which was sourced from the monies paid by (NSITF) to Fountain Media Consults Ltd and Fountain Legal Services accounts as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
*Count 5 That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) received benefit to do favour in the discharging of your official duties to (NSITF) received the sum of N346,100,000.00 (three hundred and forty-three million, one hundred thousand naira) from one Mr. Max Ozoaka of Excellex Solicitors as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
*Count 6 That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) received benefit to do favour in the discharging of your official duties to (NSITF) received the sum of N87,720,000.00 (eighty-seven million, seven hundred and twenty thousand naira) through Mr Aliyu Zubairu of (NSITF) paid by one Mr. Anselem Okolo of Journalism.com as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
*Count 7 That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) being a public officer in the services of NSITF knowingly holds a private interest in three corporate companies thus Able Jes Nigeria Limited, Julind Nigeria Limited and Luxury Suites and Hotels thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12 and punishable under the same Section of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000
*Count 8 That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 20I2 and 2015 in Abuja engages in the concealment or disguise of true nature, source, location, disposition, movement, rights with respect to the ownership of properties known as No. 25 Kainji Crescent, Maitama, Abuja; property located at Km. 9, Asaba Benin Express Road, Asaba, Delta State and other properties located at Abuja, Bayelsa State and Delta State knowing that such properties are derived from proceeds of crimes thereby Committed an Offence contrary to Section 17 (1) (d) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) (Establishment) Act, 2004, and punishable under Section 17(2) of the same Act.
*Count 9 That you Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes 18th day of December, 2017 to 16th day of March 2018 at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abuja, made a false statements to detective Chidiebere Imoko investigating officer with Extractives Industry Fraud Sections (EIFS) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Abuja in the course of his official duties and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 39 (2) (a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and punishable under Section 39(2) N) of the same ACT.