Posted by By Henry Ojelu & Amos Fajinmi on
In its determination to secure a quick conviction against Chief Olabode George, the former deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and five others, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) this morning reduced the 163-count charge against them to 68.
In its determination to secure a quick conviction against Chief Olabode George, the former deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and five others, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) this morning reduced the 163-count charge against them to 68.
George and five other top officials of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) are currently facing corruption charges at the Ikeja High Court, presided over by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole.
The fraud, which relates to illegal award of contracts running into several billions, was allegedly perpetrated\when George was the chairman of the board of the NPA. Arraigned with George were Aminu Dabo, former Managing Director of NPA, Abdullahi Tafida, Captain O. Abisoye and Alhaji Zanna Maideribe.
The accused were alleged to have conspired and approved various contracts without due process and in clear violation of extant government rules and regulations, orders and laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In court to represent Chief George and his suspected accomplices this morning were five Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and other lawyers. he new charges were still being read to the accused as at the time of filing this report. Justice Olubunmi Oyewole is presiding.
Chief Olabode George was arrested in his Asokoro, Abuja, home by the EFCC, on Thursday, 7 August, shortly after coming back from an overseas vacation. He was arraigned alongside the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) Alhaji Aminu Dabo on charges of mismanagement of N84 billion when George held sway at the NPA as executive chairman from 2001 to 2003. A close pal of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, George's tenure at NPA was under close scrutiny by a committee set up by the EFCC.
The committee found out, among other things, that George as chairman of the NPA approved various contracts without due process and in violation of government laid down rules.
During his tenure, the committee further discovered that contracts which should have been referred to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) or the Ministerial Tenders' Board for approval were fraudulently slashed into smaller units by the George-led board.
Contracts awarded during George's chairmanship at the NPA were generally inflated, the committee also found out. The contracts were awarded in foreign currency at highly inflated costs; the items were easily available in Nigerian market but George's board opted for foreign supply, the committee further discovered. Based on these findings, George was docked alongside the former managing director of the NPA on the second day of his arrest in Abuja.
After about five days in EFCC custody, George was able to meet his bail conditions and he was allowed conditional freedom while the case was adjourned till today, 28 October, 2008.