The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu, on Monday, October 21, 2024.
They face a total of 14 amended charges related to the alleged diversion of public funds amounting to N5.78 billion before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar at the Federal High Court in Ilorin.
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This re-arraignment follows the transfer of the previous trial judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike, which necessitated restarting the case.
Ahmed and Banu were originally arraigned on a 12-count charge of mismanagement of public funds on April 29, 2024, where they both pleaded not guilty.
While Ahmed is named in all fourteen counts, Banu is excluded from count seven, which accuses Ahmed of failing to fill out an assets declaration form as required by the EFCC upon his arrest.
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This failure constitutes a violation punishable by five years in prison under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act No. 1 of 2004.
The allegations against Ahmed include the improper expenditure of N1,610,730,500.00 (approximately N1.6 billion), which was intended for state security and administration, on chartering private jets through Travel Messengers Limited, violating the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act of 2000.
The charges detail specific instances of alleged financial misconduct, such as count one, which states:
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“That you, ABDULFATAH AHMED (while being the Governor of Kwara State) and ADEMOLA BANU (while being the Commissioner of Finance of Kwara State), on or about January 14, 2015, in Ilorin, did illegally spend the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) meant for civil servant salaries, which was originally held in the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Matching Grant account, thus committing an offence contrary to Section 22(5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Count four further alleges that Ahmed and Banu committed a criminal breach of trust between July 25 and September 7, 2016, by dishonestly transferring N990,545,883.64 from the Kwara SUBEB Matching Grant account into Polaris Bank to repay loans taken by the Kwara State Government, contrary to the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act of 2004.
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When the case was called at 9:00 am, EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, presented the 14-count charge dated October 15, 2024, and requested the court to accept and read it to the defendants. Both Ahmed and Banu pleaded not guilty.
Following this, the defense team made separate applications for bail, arguing that the case, which began in 2019, had previously granted the defendants administrative bail, which they had complied with.
The court subsequently granted bail to both Ahmed and Banu in the sum of N100 million each, requiring two sureties, one of whom must be a serving or retired permanent secretary.
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After the proceedings, Barrister Kamaldeen Ajibade, representing the defendants, emphasized the importance of justice being served, regardless of the court’s venue.
He noted the recent withdrawal of charges at the Federal High Court and expressed confidence in the process.
EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs confirmed the acceptance of the charges by the judge, stating, “The two of them pleaded not guilty. The court also admitted them to bail because they were already on administrative bail from the previous court.”
He explained that the transfer to the state high court was a strategic decision to consolidate the case proceedings.
The court has adjourned the case until December 4, 2024, for the commencement of trial.
