The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned six officials of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) before Justice Akanbi of the State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, on charges of fraud.
According to a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity for the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, the SUBEB officials are facing prosecution on a four-count charge of breach of trust and misappropriation of funds amounting to N96 million.
The defendants are Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Director of Finance and Supply; Omole Omololu John, Controller of Finance and Accounts; Fatai Oyerinde, Coordinator of the Salary Unit; Mujeeb Ibrahim, Executive Officer for Accounts and Salary Schedule; Salami Temitope Bashir; and Dauda Aweda Quozim, both staff members of the Salary Unit in the Kwara SUBEB.
In their respective capacities, the defendants allegedly conspired between 2018 and 2020 to convert public funds belonging to the Kwara State Government for personal use and shared the proceeds among themselves.
One of the charges reads:
“That you, Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Omole Omololu, Fatai Oyerinde, Mujeeb Ibrahim, and Bashir Temitope Salami, between September 2018 and December 2018, at Ilorin, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, being public officers in the service of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB) and in such capacity entrusted with a certain property, to wit: the gross sum of N33,891,982.37 (Thirty-Three Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety-One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Two Naira, Thirty-Seven Kobo), which sum formed part of the Kwara State SUBEB funds in account No: 0031236028 domiciled at Sterling Bank Plc, and you thereby committed the offence of criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.”
Another charge reads:
“That you, Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Omole Omololu, Fatai Oyerinde, Mujeeb Ibrahim, and Bashir Temitope Salami, between January 2019 and June 2019, at Ilorin, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, being public officers in the service of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board and in such capacity entrusted with a certain property, to wit: the gross sum of N30,406,629.09 (Thirty Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-Nine Naira, Nine Kobo), which sum formed part of the Kwara State SUBEB funds in account No: 0031236028 domiciled at Sterling Bank Plc, and you thereby committed the offence of criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.”
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them. Following this, prosecution counsel Andrew Akoja requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre. However, defense counsel, led by Abdullahi Lawal, made oral bail applications on behalf of their clients.
Justice Akanbi adjourned the case until Wednesday, April 16, 2025, for trial and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ilorin.
(Tribune)
