Former Federal Permanent Secretary Docked For Stealing
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, arraigned a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Clement Illoh Onubuogo, before a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere for alleged stealing of property valued at N14, 176,000.00.
Onubuogo was docked before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo on a three-count charge bordering on stealing by conversion and conversion of property.
The accused person, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was alleged to be responsible for supervising numerous programs such as the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).
The EFCC also accused him of awarding fictitious contracts to himself, using his personal company and friends.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Clement Illoh, a.k.a Clement & Bob Associate, on, or about 28th January, 2015, at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, whilst still a Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, dishonestly converted to your own use, the sum of N14,176,000.00 (Fourteen Million, One Hundred and Seventy- six Thousand Naira ) from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and you hereby committed an offense contrary to Section 279(1)(b) & 285(6) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No.11,2011.”
Based on his pleas, the counsel to the EFCC, Nnaemeka Omewa, asked the court for a trial date and to remand the accused in prison.
But the lawyer who represented the accused person, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), informed the court about a pending application for bail on behalf of the defendant.
Ayorinde also urged the court to remand his client in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of the bail application.
After listening to the lawyers, Justice Taiwo adjourned the case to October 19, 2017, for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.
She also directed that the accused person be remanded in EFCC custody pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
