EFCC arraigns ex-director, surveyor for N1.9bn fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned a former Deputy Director of Highways at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Augustine Olowoniyan, alongside a surveyor in the same ministry,Sulaiman Muhammed, for alleged N1.9bn fraud.
The defendants werw arraigned before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja.
The defendants were arraigned on three counts related to the alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds totaling N1,936,961,649.00.
According to the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the funds were intended for the acquisition of titles for federal roads nationwide between March 4, 2019, and July 17, 2020, but were allegedly diverted for personal use.
Upon reading the charges, both defendants pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed (SAN), requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendants in the correctional centre.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, whilst serving as Deputy Director Highways, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and Project Coordinator for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads, and Suleiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, whilst serving as Surveyor of the Department of Highways and Planning, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, between March 4, 2019, and October 21, 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, used your office to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves by putting to your own use the sum of N807,053,000.00 despite being funds budgeted for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads Nationwide, thereby committing an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
However, the defence counsel for the first and second defendants, J.K. Kolawole and A.S.U. Garba, requested a short adjournment to file bail applications and requested that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody.
Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case until April 3, 2025, to hear the bail applications and remanded the defendants at Kuje correctional centre.
