EFCC arraigns civil servant for tearing investigative paperwork

The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) has arraigned Usman Mallam, a low cadre civil servant within the make use of of the Gombe State Authorities, for allegedly obstructing a legal investigation by tearing the fee’s letters of investigative actions.

The arraignment came about on 11 June on the Federal Excessive Court docket in Gombe, the Gombe State capital, North-east Nigeria, a press assertion by the EFCC stated Thursday.

Mr Mallam, a desk officer within the Workplace of the Secretary to the Gombe State Authorities (SSG), pleaded not responsible to the cost.

He denied the allegations when he appeared earlier than the trial choose, T.G. Ringim, for arraignment.

The assertion signed by the Head of Media and Publicity of the anti-graft company, Dele Oyewale, stated Mr Mallam was arraigned on one cost of wilful obstruction of investigation actions and destruction of EFCC’s official doc.

The prosecution alleged that the fee was investigating Mr Mallam over allegations of financial and monetary crimes when he allegedly tore two official letters from the fee on 26 February.

The offence allegedly violated part 38 (1) and punishable underneath Part 38 (2) (a) and (b) of the EFCC Act.

The assertion gave the dates on the paperwork allegedly tampered with by Mr Mallam as 1 January 2024 and 21 February 2024.

Nevertheless it didn’t present extra particulars in regards to the paperwork.

It additionally didn’t present any insights in regards to the potential motive of the defendant.

It, nonetheless, disclosed that Mr Mallam denied the fees by pleading not responsible to the cost.

Bail

Following his plea, the prosecution counsel A.M. Labaran, urged the court docket to repair a date for trial.

In response, defence counsel, S.S. Usman, utilized for bail for Mr Mallam, saying, “My Lord, we request bail, supported by our software dated 11 July 2024.”

The trial choose, Mr Ringim, granted Mr Mallam bail within the sum of N10 million awith one surety

The surety have to be a director in a authorities institution or a personal firm with a capital of at the very least N10 million.

Moreover, the registrar of the court docket is to confirm the surety’s id.

Each the surety and the defendant should additionally submit two passport images to the court docket.

The trial choose ordered that the remand of Mr Mallam within the Gombe State Correctional Service pending when he would meet the bail circumstances.

He then adjourned the case till 9 July for trial.

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The lone cost in opposition to Mr Mallam reads, “that you simply, Usman Mallam on or about twenty sixth day of February 2024 at Gombe, Gombe State inside the jurisdiction of this honourable court docket whereas the officers of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, EFCC have been caring out an investigation exercise involving an alleged financial and monetary crime, did willfully hinder the stated investigation by tearing the EFCC formal letters of investigation actions dated 1 January 2024 and 21 February 2024, respectively” and thereby dedicated an offence opposite to Part 38 (1) and punishable underneath Part 38 (2) (a) and (b) of the Financial and monetary Crimes Fee Institution Act.”

Related case

An analogous case that readily involves thoughts concerned a former Nationwide Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Social gathering (PDP), Olisa Metuh, who was charged with comparable offences in January 2016.

The EFCC first charged Mr Metuh on the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja with cash laundering involving N400 million he allegedly took fraudulently from the Workplace of the Nationwide Safety Adviser in November 2014 in the course of the administration of then President Goofluck Jonathan.

Subsequently, the fee charged him on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Excessive Court docket in Abuja with two counts of destroying his assertion which he made underneath warning to its operatives and investigators whereas in custody on 5 January 2016.

The trial was overseen by the then Chief Choose of the FCT Excessive Court docket, Ishaq Bello, now retired.

The court docket, on the finish of the trial, adjourned for judgement. However we can’t instantly ascertained the way it ended..

Mr Metuh was convicted and jailed within the mom case on the Federal Excessive Court docket. However the judgement was overturned on enchantment, with the Court docket of Attraction ordering a retrial.