N32.8bn Pension Scam: Three Accused Know Fate, October 16

An Abuja High Court has further adjourned to October. 16
ruling on an application to quash the criminal charges in the N32.8 billion
Police Pension Fund scam against three of the six accused persons.

Justice Abubakar Talba had on July 17, fixed October 9 for
ruling on the motion filed by Atiku Kigo (a former permanent secretary), Mrs
Veronica Onyegbula (cashier) and Sani Zira (ICT officer).

The three, who are charged along with Esai Dangabar
(director), Ahmed Wada (director) and John Yusufu (assistant director), are
members of staff of the office of the Head of Service of the Federation,
currently on suspension.

They were arraigned by the EFCC on a 16-count charge
bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.

The EFCC said the alleged fraud was perpetuated between
January 2009 and June 2011.

On arrival in the court, its clerk, Malam Garba Isa informed
the counsel to the accused, Mr Ricky Tarfa and that of the EFCC, Mr Rotimi
Jacobs that the ruling was not ready.

He said that the judge had asked the counsels in the case to
pick another date for the ruling.

Our correspondent recalls that the three accused persons
want the court to quash the charges on the grounds that the EFCC has no
evidence against them.

They insisted that there was no nexus linking them to the
commission of the alleged offence.

Particularly, Onyegbula insists in her application that the
EFCC could not prove to the court that she signed any document from the pension
office, to collect the said money.

She also argued that she was just “an errand girl” and that
since she was not in position of authority at the pension office, she could not
have influenced any decision on the sharing of any money.

The EFCC, in a counter affidavit, urged the court to dismiss
the application, saying the that the accused were just “employing delay
tactics” to frustrate the quick disposal of the case.