Court Grants Ex-Chairman NSITF, Ngozi Olejeme Bail Over Alleged Funds Diversion

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, October 22nd, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An FCT High Court sitting in Jabi on Friday admitted the former board chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ngozi Olejeme, to bail.

The court in addition adjourned the matter until Nov.8 for hearing.

The court adopted the administrative bail conditions already granted the defendant by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC).

The conditions stated that the defendant provided two assistant directors in a government establishments as sureties.

The judge, Justice Maryam Hassan in addition in the ruling directed that the travel documents of the defendant be submitted at the court’s registry.

News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN), reports that on Thursday, the court ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC’s custody pending Friday’s ruling on the bail application as brought by the defendant’s counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN.

Olejeme is charged with criminal conspiracy, abuse of oﬃce, diversion of public funds and money laundering.

The offence it was alleged she committed between 2012 and 2015, when she was the board chairman of the NSITF.

The nine-count charge bordering on mismanagement, giving false statement, taking kickback from contracts and diversion of NSITF funds into personal accounts and companies she had interest in, formed the basis for the defendant’s arraignment.

One of the charge alleged that the funds were diverted through the award of suspicious contracts to proxy companies.

The offence, the anti-graft agency said, contravened the provisions of sections 8,19 (1) (b) (1), punishable under the Corrupt Practice & other Related Offence Act 2000 and Section 17, (1) (2), 39 of EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.

The defendant, however pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against her.

With the defendant pleading not guilty, the prosecution counsel, Steve Odiase prayed for a date for hearing to enable prosecution to prove her case against the defendant.

Erokoro on his part then moved the bail application for his client

NAN