Delta State Bursary Scam Whistleblower Remanded In Prison
The Delta State whistleblower, Mr. Ambrose Ezeanwani, is the man known to have exposed the racket in the Delta State Students’ Bursary Scheme. It is a scheme that was allegedly spearheaded by the Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha. SaharaReporters has leaned that in spite of blowing the whistle, Ezeanwani has been remanded in prison custody by a Delta State Magistrate Court for an extended stay.
Ezeanwani, 32, is an ex-University of Lagos student. He was arraigned at the Delta State Magistrate Court 1, in Asaba, on Wednesday, April 30th. He was denied bail after pleading ‘Not Guilty’ to a two-count charge brought against him by the state prosecution, led by the counsel representing the Delta State Commissioner of police.
According to the two count charge, it reads in part, “That you, Ezenwani Ambrose ‘M’ on the 24th day of April, 2014, at the Bursary Board, in Asaba, in the Asaba Magistrate Diststrict, did publish false defamatory matters against the National Association Delta State Students (NADESSTU) over a Bursary controversy. That publication you know to be false, or does not exist, and thereby (you are) committed an offence punishable under section 375 of the criminal code law, Cap C21 Vol1 laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006
“That you Ezenwani Ambrose ‘M’ between the month of July 2012, and April 2014, in the aforementioned Magistrate District, did present yourself falsely with (the) intent to defraud, and obtained various sums of money in the thousands of Naira from Members of NADESSTU, University of Lagos and Delsu. (These motions were made) in a pretext to facilitate their bursary allowances which (the) representation you know to be false, or does not believe it to exist, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under section 419 of the criminal code Law CAP. C21 Vol 1 law of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.”
However, Pat Adigwe, counsel to Ambose Ezenwani pleaded with the court to grant bail to her client. Yet that plea was turned down by the presiding judge, in a ruling that lasted less than five minutes.
The judge noted that her decision not to grant bail to the applicant was based on the present prevailing circumstances, where high placed individuals were libeled, and defamed, by what he referred to as “backyard and low quality gutter publications” amongst others, and by the powers conferred on him to express his discretion on the matter in consonance with the provisions of, “section 375 of the criminal code law Cap C21 Vol1 laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006 and section 419 of the criminal code Law CAP. C21, Vol 1 law of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006, “I hereby remand Ambrose Ezenwani in Prison Custody” and the case adjourned till May 9, 2014.
Ambrose Ezenawni, was apprehended on Wednesday, April 23rd while on his way to the Federal college of education (Technical) Akoka by some men in mufti. They allegedly pulled up in front of him, and attempted to force him into their car and he resisted. He later headed for the police station in Sabo instead, where the men followed him, and asked the police to hand him over, but were refused.
As a way to clear his name from the alleged fraud, the state commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha, in a statement titled, “DELTA STATE STUDENTS PROTEST NON-PROSECUTION OF BURSARY SCAM IN UNILAG was made available to journalists. It said, “I have been in government, trying to practice what I preached as a critic, by ensuring judicious use of public funds. I have NEVER been involved in fraud, and will never get into fraudulent actions. I have, working in concert with others, and with the approval of our prudent Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, saved Delta State Government millions of Naira by plugging leakages. What Ambrose and his cohorts are spearheading is a backlash against us for being the driving force against years of bursary scam.”
“The first point to be made,” Eghagha went on to say, “is that on assumption of this office as Commissioner for Higher Education in 2009, I was confronted with one sad reality: some funds meant for students never got to them. A cabal within the institutions and others cornered funds meant for students. Along with members of the Scholarship Board headed by Monsignor Buchi Aninye, we took steps to sanitize the process.
That process, so says Eghagha continues to be a challenge, adding, “All staff were transferred and new persons posted to the board from the Civil Service. A new Executive Secretary, was also appointed by the Governor. We introduced online registration so that potential beneficiaries could deal directly with the Scholarship Board. This yielded fruits. Twenty-three thousand fake names were discovered and expunged from the list.
Eghagha’s lengthy statement to reporters didn’t stop there, when he said, “I was surprised that two days after we announced to the world that fake names were found on the bursary list, some students, including Ambrose and his ilk, demonstrated in Asaba, and accused members of the Board of inserting the names. They targeted the Executive Secretary, who is the Chief Executive of the Board. At that time, my name was not mentioned. Suddenly, it is ‘Mr. Hope Eghagha’ that inserted the fake names.
“The following is the breakdown of releases made since 2009,” Eghagha had offered to the media. “In 2009/2010, the approved sum was N514, 706.035.75. Of this, N434, 646,035.75 was expended while savings amounted to N80, 060,000. In 2010/2011, the approved sum was N653, 700,932.29; the sum of N481, 145,432.29 was expended; savings amounted to N172, 555,500. In 2011/2012, the approved sum was N610, 134,868.46; amount expended was N 555,134,868.46. N55, 000,000.00 was saved. “In 2012/2013, the sum of N699, 650,256.50 was approved for the bursary. Payment is on-going. Each year, whatever was saved as a result of plugged leakages were ploughed back into payment for the next year with the approval of the State Executive Council.”
At press time, it is unclear as to what fate Ambrose Ezeanwani is likely to face with this damning accusation of fraud, and libel. His remanding in prison while a hearing is set, is in effect, a set-back to his supporters, and attorneys. The entire affair is baffling while also being played out in a public forum where many in the public realm remain skeptical of claims by officials they are in the clear in a case that remains murky.
(Story by: Sahara Reporters)
