The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged five members of the Sokoto State Primary Staff Pension Board for diverting N553.985,644.1.
The suspects, Abubakar Aliyu, Hassana Moyi, Haliru Ahmad, Kabiru Ahmad, and Dahiru Muhammad Isa, who are the board’s Secretary, Director of Finance and Supply, Deputy Director of Finance and Supply, Accountant, and Cashier, were accused of diverting funds intended for the payment of retired teachers’ gratuities and pensions.
The suspects, who were accused of faking vouchers, withdrawing and sharing money, were arraigned before the Sokoto High Court on a 28-count charge of forgery, criminal breach of trust, and misappropriation, in violation of sections 92 (2), 311 of the Penal Code law CAP 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, and Sections 351, 353, 348 of the Sokoto Penal Code law 2019.
The money was withdrawn in tranches, according to EFCC Zonal Head Usman Bawa Kaltungo.
Kaltungo revealed that they acted on a petition filed to them by one of the pensioners, saying that between January 17, 2017 and March 20, 2020, the Director of Finance withdrew N83.2 million from their Polaris Bank account.
He said;
“During the same period, Haliru and Kabiru withdrew 203,217,770.71 and 266,567,053 respectively from the same account in the name of pensioners.
“We had to pay for the transport fares of some of the pensioners before they could come and testify and they were shocked to find out that their long awaited pensions and gratuities had been diverted.”
The case was postponed until June 28 to allow for the continuation of the trial.
Source: Ghgossip.com
