Posted by By GODWIN TSA, Abuja on
The Federal Government on Monday charged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Abia State in the April polls and former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, before a Federal High Court, Abuja for corrupt practices.
The Federal Government on Monday charged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Abia State in the April polls and former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, before a Federal High Court, Abuja for corrupt practices.
Ugochukwu was accused of corrupt handling of about N10.2 billion while serving as the chairman of the NDDC.
The charges prepared by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation accused Ugochukwu of inflating contract value and making false statement in respect of a N9.3 billion allegedly trapped in the distressed Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria.
The first count accused Ugochukwu of "inflation of a contract value for the construction of a 15 kilometres road in Obehi-Mkpologwu from N250, 260 million to N880 million," while in the second count, he was accused of "inflating contracts value for the construction of a road in Umuahia from N180 million to N462 million."
The former NDDC chairman, in the third count, was accused of "furnishing of false statement in respect of N9.3 billion said to be trapped in SGBN but which was said to have been disbursed by him."
However, Ugochukwu's trial was stalled owing to the absence of both the prosecution and the defence counsels.
It would be recalled that both the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had said that the NDDC was being investigated over alleged massive corruption.
Justice Anwuri Chikere has adjourned the case to March 19, 2007.