UMTH’s N185m Fraud: Court Grants Accused Bail on Tough Terms
Five former staff of the Department of Finance and Accounts, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State, who were arraigned on Thursday, April 7, 2016 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for offences bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N185m (One Hundred and Eighty-Five Million Naira), were onFriday, May 13, 2016 granted bail by Justice M. T. Salihu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The accused persons-Mahmud Deji Sambo, a former Assistant Director; Bukar Musti, a former Assistant Chief Accountant; Mohammed Saleh Kasim, a former Executive Officer; Haruna G. Katangana , a former Internal Auditor and Alkali Ibrahim Gonimi-are alleged to have, at various times, connived to alter documents to defraud the University to the tune of N185million.
Sambo, also known as Ardo Hamajam, and Kasim, aka Babagana Sale, were arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, uttering of documents and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N61 million( Sixty-one Million Naira).
In one of the counts against them, between March 2009 and December 2009, they allegedly obtained N35, 882,000 (Thirty-five Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty-two Thousand Naira) from the coffers of the UMTH under the pretext that it was for supplies to the hospital and contractual salary for Babagana Saleh.
Musti and Sambo were docked on a 3-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence to the tune of over N58million (Fifty-eight Million Naira).
They are alleged to have, between March 2010 and June 2010, used their positions to defraud the UMTH of the said sum in the guise that it was to be used for payment of salaries.
Kasim was arraigned alongside Musti and Sambo on a 3-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N8million (Eight Million Naira) between September, 2008 and September , 2010.
Gonimi, aka La’ari Wakil, was also arraigned separately along with Musti and Sambo on a 2-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and conspiracy to the tune of over N5million (Five Million Naira).
They were alleged to have, between February 2010 and June 2011, fraudulently obtained thesum of N5,986,257.33 (Five Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty-six Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty-seven naira, Thirty-three Kobo) from the coffers of the teaching hospital in the guise that it was for payments of salaries.
Katangana, who was arraigned along with Musti and Sambo on a 15-count charge bordering on forgery, allegedly connived to prepare false documents to wit: UMTH payment voucher No. GTB/01/09 for January 2009 salaries, with intent that it be used and acted upon as genuine- an offence contrary to Section 465 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 467 of the same Act.
The accused persons had all pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
However, counsel to EFCC, Abubakar Aliyu, had made an oral application to consolidate the charges preferred against the accused persons, which the defence did not object to.
Delivering his ruling on their bail applications at the resumed hearing today, Justice Halilu granted bail to Musti and Sambo in the sum of N60m each and two sureties with N30million each. The sureties must have landed properties worth N10million each within the jurisdiction of the court.
Also, both Sambo and Saleh Kasim, who were arraigned together on separate counts, were granted bail in the sum of N30million each with two sureties in the sum of N15million each. One of the sureties must have landed property worth N5million.
Justice Salilu added that the above ruling also applied to Kassim, Sambo and Musti accordingly
In the same vein, Katangana, Sambo were admitted to bail in the sum of N8million and two sureties in the sum of N4million each.
The case has been adjourned to June 13, 14, 15 & 16, 2016 for commencement of trial.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
May 13, 2016.
