The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday filed 14 new charges of alleged N5.78 billion fraud against former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his Commissioner of Finance, Ademola Banu. The case was brought before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar at the Kwara State High Court.
The two are accused of diverting and misappropriating public funds intended for state projects and security. Their re-arraignment comes after the EFCC withdrew the case from the Federal High Court in Ilorin last week due to the transfer of the former presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike, to another division.
Initially, Abdulfatah and Banu were arraigned on a 12-count charge on April 29, 2024, to which they pleaded not guilty. However, with the new transfer of the presiding judge, the trial must restart.
While the new 14-count charge includes all allegations against both Abdulfatah and Banu, one count specifically accuses the former governor of failing to fill out his assets declaration form after his arrest, an offence under the EFCC Act, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Among the allegations, Abdulfatah is accused of spending over N1.6 billion on chartering private jets using funds intended for state security. Both defendants are also alleged to have conspired to misuse funds meant to pay salaries for teachers and provide security and infrastructure in Kwara State.
One charge highlights that N1 billion, initially allocated for the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), was illegally diverted to pay civil servant salaries. Another charge alleges that N990 million from the SUBEB Matching Grant account was transferred to repay a loan at Polaris Bank, in violation of the Universal Basic Education Act.
During Monday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, presented the 14-count charge, and the defendants’ counsel did not object. Both Abdulfatah and Banu pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Their defense counsel requested that the bail previously granted to the defendants be continued, citing their compliance with previous bail conditions since the case began in 2019. Justice Abdulgafar granted bail to the former governor and his commissioner in the sum of N100 million, with two sureties each, one of whom must be a serving or retired permanent secretary.
The case was adjourned to December 4 and 5, 2024, for further hearings.
