Land Scam: EFCC Arraigns Ex-Chief Of Staff To FCT Minister

SAN FRANCISCO, May 07, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Thursday arraigned the duo of Muhammed Yau Gital and Sani Abba, both senior officials of the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory, before Justice O. C Akpaza of the Federal High Court Abuja on a 4-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, obtaining by false pretence and abuse of office.

Gital, a former Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed and Abba, Deputy Director, Mass Housing at the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA allegedly conspired and defrauded one Chief Duru Mike Ejiogu, managing director of Visioni and Strauss Nigeria Limited to the tune of N60m (Sixty Million Naira) on the pretext that the said sum would be used to facilitate the change of Land Use in respect of Plot No. 523, Cadastral Zone BOO Kukwaba District from Passive Recreation to Residential.

One of the count reads: “That you, Yau Mohammed Gital, being the former Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Sani Abba, being the Deputy Director, Mass Housing, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and Special Assistant to the said Chief of Staff, sometime in March, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, with intent to defraud, conspired to do an illegal act to wit: obtained the sum of N30,000,000.00 (Thirty Million Naira only) from Chief Duru Mike Ejiogu, Managing Director of Visioni and Strauss Nigeria Limited under the false pretence that the said amount was to facilitate the change of Land Use in respect of Plot No: 523, Cadastral Zone BOO Kukwaba District File No. MISC 52843 from Passive Recreation to Residential Housing Estate and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”

The accused pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

In view of their plea, the Prosecution counsel Sylvanus Tahir asked for a date for the commencement of trial.

But Justice Akpaza granted the accused bail in the sum of Fifty Million Naira (N50million) and one surety each. The surety who must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 12, is to resident in the Federal Capital Territory with evidence of home ownership.

The case has been adjourned to June 4, 2015 for trial.