EFCC Arraigns Comptroller of Prisons for Sale of Exhibit
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, today, November 1, 2013 arraigned a Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, Wure Wisdom Diete and his accomplice, Peter Ayamede, a Senior Inspector of Prisons before Justice C.O Ogisi of the Delta State High Court, Asaba on a 4- count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing. The two accused who are attached to Ogwashi-Uku Prison, Delta State, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The duo were arrested for allegedly tampering with a forfeited exhibit left in the custody of the prison service at Ogwashi-Uku for safe keeping. The exhibit in question is 27, 200 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) valued at about N4, 020,000.00 loaded in a truck with registration number Enugu XN 789 ENU, and forfeited to the federal government in a case decided by Justice C.M.A Olatoregun- Ishola of the Federal High Court, Asaba. Investigations revealed that the petroleum product was siphoned and replaced with water. Deputy Comptroller Diete allegedly authorized the illegal sale of the products.
In view of their plea, the prosecuting counsel, A. I Arogha prayed the court for an accelerated hearing. However, the defense counsel, C O. Egwuenu presented an oral bail application for the accused persons but the court directs that the application be formalized.
The matter has been adjourned to November 12, 2013 for ruling on the bail application.
One of the counts in the charge reads, “that you Wure Wisdom Diete and Ayamede Peter while being a Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in charge of Ogwashi-Uku prison a Senior Inspector of Prisons at Ogwashi-Uku respectively on or about April 2012 at Ogwashi-Uku in the Ogwashi-Uku Judicial Division did conspire with each other to commit felony to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 Section of the Criminal Code Law CAP C21 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2006”.