Thursday 14 May 2015

N371m Contract Scam: EFCC Arraigns Commissioner, Others

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the Kwara State commissioner for Information, Prince Olatunji Oyeyemi Moronfoye, and senior special adviser on Millennium Development Goals to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Ope Saraki, before Justice A.O. Faji of the Federal High Court, Ilorin for offences bordering on abuse of office, awarding contracts to cronies, diversion of public funds and money laundering. Moronfoye was docked on a three count charge while Saraki who was arraigned alongside his companies: Cogent Integrated Service Nigeria Limited and Ladida Support Service Limited were arraigned separately on a five count charge. According to the spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Moronfoye while being the Senior Special Adviser to the former governor (Bukola Saraki) allegedly used his position to enrich himself.

Specifically, he allegedly awarded contracts to the tune of over N200million for the renovation of Ijagbo Primary Health Centre and Specialist Hospitals within the state, to a company in which he has interest and was the sole signatory to the account.

One of the counts read: “That you, Ope Saraki being the Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to Governor of Kwara State sometime in 2012 at Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did by undue interest conducted procurement fraud in the procurement of 13 Units of Ambulance for 13 General/Specialist Hospitals in Kwara State at the sum of N171,990, 000.00 (One Hundred and Seventy One Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira only) a contract awarded to Chemiroy Nigeria Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 58 (4) (b) of the Public procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (5) of the same Act”. (Leadership)

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