It was drama galore at the Federal Capital Territory High Court at
Maitama yesterday, as the key suspect in the alleged illegal diversion of over
N40billion from the Police Pension Fund, Mrs. Uzoma Cyril Attang, directed
thugs to physically assault journalists that came to cover her arraignment.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had maintained that it
successfully traced about N1.1billion to one of the bank accounts operated by
Mrs. Attang, who is still in service as Director of Finance and Accounts in the
Ministry of Communications.
She was, hitherto, the Chief Accountant of the PPF where she served between
2003 and 2008.
Meanwhile, irked by what she termed “unfavourable media reportage”, Attang who
was docked by the EFCC, alongside six former police pension officials yesterday,
monitored as a horde of thugs she brought to court, attacked photojournalists
inside the high court premises.
photojournalists were severely manhandled, even as it took the intervention of
security men to recover their cameras.
It would be recalled that Attang was absent in court when the other alleged
pension thieves were initially arraigned before Justice Albubakar Thalba on
March 29, 2012 and were subsequently remanded in prison custody.
According to an 18-count amended criminal charge the EFCC entered before the
high court, Attang was the accountant in charge of the police pension fund when
N7.8billion was stolen through 10,863 cheques.
Aside tracing over 20 choice assets belonging to her, the EFCC, alleged that
the accused person personally signed 1,042 cheques to the tune of N1,
141,309,080.25.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that she used several companies to
defraud the police pension office, among which included Royal Diadem Business
Logistic Limited, Amazing Grace Property Development Company, Enyiuzo Ventures
Limited, Status Symbols Rentals Limited, Status Travels and Tours Limited,
Quillponte and Anifon Nigeria Limited.
Meantime, she yesterday pleaded not guilty to the charge and was allowed to go
home by trial Justice Husseini Baba on the same bail conditions that were
previously given to her co-accused persons by Justice Thalba who handled the
trial ab-initio.
EFCC opted to transfer the case from Justice Thalba following the
slap-on-the-wrist sentence he handed to one of the accused persons, John Yakubu
Yusufu, who was on January 28, sentenced to two years imprisonment with a fine
option of N750, 000, after he confessed that he conspired with the other
accused persons and stole about N23 billion from the police pension fund.
The other accused persons who took turns and pleaded not guilty to the charge
were Esai Dangabar, a former Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of the
Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada,
Mrs. Veronica Uloma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira and Christian Madubuike.
Justice Thalba had on April 3, 2012, granted them bail in the sum of N10
million each, just as they were ordered to produce two persons on grade
level-14 in the Civil Service that stood surety for each of them.
The court fixed June 3 and 4 to commence hearing on the substantive charge
against them.
