$4,095 SEC fraud: EFCC presents more witnesses
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Wednesday
February 27, 2013 presented two more witnesses in the on-going trial of the
former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Markets
and Other Institutions, Herman Hembe and his deputy, Chris Ifeanyi Azubogu
before Justice Peter Kekemeke of the FCT High Court, Abuja.
The two lawmakers are being prosecuted on a two count charge
bordering on fraud. They were alleged to have sometime in October 2011,
converted to their use, $4, 094, being money given to them by the Securities
and Exchange Commission, SEC, as travelling allowances to Puncta, Dominican Republic
to attend a conference.
The duo allegedly pocketed the money though they did not
attend the conference, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 308 of
the Penal Code Act Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
At the resumed hearing, EFCC counsel led the two witnesses
who are staff of SEC in evidence.
The first witness, Ibrahim Usman told the court that he was
involved in making payment of approved estacodes to public officers travelling
outside the shores of the country. He said on October 11, 2011 he received a
memo from the management directing him to pay Hembe and his deputy a sum of $4,095
as estacode to attend a conference in Dominican Republic. According to
him, the payment was made based on the Management approval of October 19, 2011,
adding that one Mr. Femi Ogunsanya collected the money on behalf of the accused
persons.
The second witness, Hassan Mamman told the court that he was
the one that arranged travel tickets for the accused persons.
He said that the first accused, Hembe only told him that he
was away on the journey but that he had no evidence to show that he actually travelled
neither did he have any reason to doubt him.
Hassan said called him from London that he missed his flight and wanted
another one arranged. He stated that, he reported all the conversation he had
with Hembe on phone to his immediate boss in the office.
Testifying on the second accused, Honourable Azubogu, Hassan
said the accused did not call to inform him that he travelled.
Further hearing in the case is adjourned to April 30, 2013.
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