By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned six officials of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) before Justice Akanbi of the State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, for alleged fraud.
The six suspects are facing prosecution on a four-count charge of breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N96m.
The defendants are, Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Director, Finance and Supply; Omole Omololu John, Controller, Finance and Accounts; Fatai Oyerinde, Coordinator, Salary Unit; Mujeeb Ibrahim, Executive Officer, Account and Salary Schedule; Salami Temitope Bashir and Dauda Aweda Quozim, who are staff of the Salary Unit in the Kwara SUBEB.
A statement by the Head, Media & Publicity of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, said: “The defendants, in their various capacities, allegedly conspired between 2018 -2020 to convert public funds belonging to the Kwara State Government for their personal use and shared the proceeds among themselves.”
One of the charges reads: “That you, Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Omole Omololu, Fatai Oyerinde, Mujeeb Ibrahim and Bashir Temitope Salami, between September, 2018 and December, 2018 at Ilorin, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, being public officers in the service of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB) and in such capacity entrusted with a certain property to wit; the gross sum of N33,891,982.37 (Thirty Three Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety-One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty Two Naira, Thirty Seven Kobo) which sum formed part of the Kwara State SUBEB funds in account No: 0031236028 domiciled at Sterling Bank Plc, and you thereby committed the offence of criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.”
Another charge reads: “That you, Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Omole Omololu, Fatai Oyerinde, Mujeeb Ibrahim and Bashir Temitope Salami, between January 2019 and June, 2019 of Ilorin, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, being public officers in the service of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board and in such capacity entrusted with a certain property to wit: the gross sum of N30,406,629.09 (Thirty Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Nine Naira, Nine Kobo) which sum formed part of the Kwara State SUBEB funds in account no: 0031236028 domiciled at Stealing Bank Plc, and you thereby Committed the offence of criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.”
They pleaded “not guilty”, when the charges were read to them, following which prosecution counsel, Andrew Akoja, asked the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre, while counsel to the defendants, led by Abdullahi Lawal made oral bail applications for their clients.
Justice Akanbi while adjourning the case until Wednesday, April 16, 2025 for trial, ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ilorin.