Former Commissioner Docked For Illegal Collection Of Allowances

A former Commissioner for Transport in Enugu State, Mr Luke Mamel, was on Monday docked for allegedly collecting N3.9 million as wardrobe and furniture allowances from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.

Mamel, who is currently the Director of Works Services in the institute, appeared before the panel of enquiry probing the past administration of the institute.

A memorandum by Mr Basil Offor, the former Administrative Secretary to the former rector of the institute, said Mamel first applied for the N3.9 million allowances in 2011 but his application was turned down by the then Rector as he did not merit the allowance.

According to the memorandum, the said money was illegally approved by the current administration of the institute.

The former commissioner was also accused of carting off earth moving equipment, including a bulldozer as well as luxurious buses belonging to the institute.

Mamel, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges while the case was adjourned to April 17.

In a related development, Enugu Magistrates’ Court has adjourned till May 14 a case involving one Law Emenike, who was accused of allegedly collecting a N10,000 bribe.

Our correspondent reports that Emenike, a health officer with the Ministry of  Environment, was in August 2009 accused of collecting the said amount from one Nnenna Onwuzor after serving her abatement letter for failing to clear her surrounding.

When the matter came up, the counsel to the plaintiff, Mr C. Onyebueke, said he was seeking the court to give him time to get in touch with his client since she was not in the country.

He pleaded with the court to give him time to communicate with Onwuzor since the matter was still pending.

The counsel to the accused, Chika Eze, said both the prosecutor and the accused person must be in court to give proper evidence in the matter.

Eze pleaded with the court to dismiss the matter for undue delays and lack of proper diligence.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.N. Edeani, ordered that the complainant should appear in court to avoid unnecessary delay.

Edeani warned the complainant to appear in court at the next adjourned date, saying that the matter could have been finalised if she had appeared in court during previous adjourned dates.