Posted by By RAZAQ BAMIDELE on
The House of Representatives probe panel which investigated the fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Kenny Martins-led Presidential Committee on Police Equipment Fund (PCPEF) has made public its findings revealing that over N2 billion was spent for the purposes other than equipping the police force.
• Kenny Martins, others to refund N1.5bn
The House of Representatives probe panel which investigated the fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Kenny Martins-led Presidential Committee on Police Equipment Fund (PCPEF) has made public its findings revealing that over N2 billion was spent for the purposes other than equipping the police force.
The 29-page report signed by the chairman, Public Petitions Committee of House of Representatives, Hon C.I.D Maduacbum explained that out of the embezzled money, the National Coordinator of the fund, Chief Kenny Martins, Ibrahim Dumuje and Dr Yaro Gella were in possession of over N1.5 billion.
Against this backdrop, the committee has recommended that the trio should refund the money just as it recommended that 'government in the interim, freeze the account of the Presidential Committee on Police Equipment Fund Police Equipment Foundation and order a thorough audit of these accounts."
The break down of the money which the committee recommended to be refunded by Kenny Martins, Ibrahim Dumuji and Dr Yaro Gella to the police force included 'the sum of N227,091,581 fraudulently taken in cash from N7.74 billion public funds lodged in the account of the Presidential Committee on Police Equipment Fund."
Other refunds the panel recommended the trio should make were the N774 million paid to NIGERLSTAG, from the fund 'for the benefit of Chief Kenny Martins, Ibrahim Dumuju and Mrs Dora Agharite (NIGERLSTAG) ... the sum of N59 million illegally withdrawn from the account of the PCPEF for the benefit of Chief Kenny Martins, Ibrahim Dumuje and Mrs Dora Agharite (NIGERLST)" as well as 'the sum of N450 million illegally withdrawn for the benefit of the police equipment foundation, a private anti under the control of Chief Kenny Martins, Ibrahim Dumuje and Dr Yaro Ghella" totaling N1,510,091,581.
The committee also recommended that 'all other sums of money paid to various individuals, organization and corporate bodies for services not rendered by them to the Nigeria Police force be refunded by them to the Nigeria Police Force" adding that 'the security agencies should further investigate the use of waivers granted for importation of vehicles as the committee could not reach conclusion on it."
The trio of Martins, Dumuje and Mrs Dora Agharite were recommended to be held responsible 'for unlawfully and fraudulently procuring Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) documents making themselves directors of NIGERLSTAG when the resolution upon which they became directors was signed by Evangelist Joseph Agharite five months after his death."
'These three persons should not benefit from their own wrongs. Consequently, we recommend that the CAC should invalidate the ownership and directorship of NIGERLSTAG Ltd which was procured in a fraudulent manner and all benefits taken as a result should be returned to the police," the report added.
Condemning some of the banks for allowing the promoters of Police Equipment Foundation to convert the accounts of the Presidential Committee on Police Equipment Fund to their own use and benefit without any legal authorization," the committee therefore ordered 'all the banks so indicted in the findings" to discontinue the practices.
Copies of the report, according to the committee should be forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, security agencies and other authorities for their information and further action just as it was recommended that security agencies should continue investigations on the foreign donations and transactions that had not been accounted for because efforts of the committee to get information on them had proved abortive.
It would be recalled that a petition from the chambers of the Lagos Lawyer, Mr Festus Keyamo, a counsel, on behalf of Dr Godson Ewulum, alleging fraud in the operation of the PCPEF which was presented to the House on December 12, 2007 by Hon Otu Bassey Edet triggered off the probe that was thereafter referred to the Committee on Public Petitions for actions.
The outcome of the committee findings contained in a 29-page report included 15-paragraph recommendations on how the alleged culprits would be made to refund the alleged misappropriated funds.