N169m Fraud: Delta Scholarship Board Secretary, Accountant’s Trial Starts October 27
Olaoluwa Folalu
The trial of Peter Amromanoh, former Executive Secretary, Delta State Scholarship Board, and Andrew Boji Nkwor, Chief Accountant, could not go on as scheduled on Monday as the trial judge, Justice C. O. Eminifoye of the Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba, has been transferred out of Asaba to Oleh.
The accused persons, according to EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren are being prosecuted by the agency on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
Nkwor is alleged to have abused his office and, in connivance with Amromanoh, stole over N36 million meant for the payment of bursary to Delta State students studying in various institutions of higher learning. They are also alleged to have paid bursary to “ghost” students.
One of the counts against them reads:
“That you Mr. Peter Amromanoh being the Executive Secretary of Delta State Scholarship Board and Andrew Boji Nkwor being the Chief Accountant of the Delta State Scholarship Board sometime between 2008 to 2012 at Asaba in the Asaba Judicial Division of the High Court of Delta State, stole the sum of N31,720,000.00 being money meant for the payment of Bursary to students of Delta State origin studying in various institutions of higher learning in the 2008 to 2010 sessions by fraudulently paying same to ghost students which you knew, not to be true and thus fraudulently converting the said sum to your own use.”
Justice Emifoniye had, at the last sitting on July 1, 2015, adjourned the case to October 26 and 27, 2015 for further hearing.
The transfer of the trial judge, however, means that the case will now have to start de novo October 27.