EFCC Re-Arraigns Sani Shuaibu Teidi,10 Others For N18.3Bn Pension Fraud

SAN FRANCISCO, June 07, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, Thursday remanded Dr Sani Shuaibu Teidi, former Director of Pensions Account, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, in Kuje prison custody pending hearing on his bail application fixed for July 18, 2013.

A statement by the EFCC said that Teidi’s remand followed his re- arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside one Udusegbe Eric Omoefe and their companies, on a 22-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to commit fraud and concealing the illicit origin of stolen pensions fund, totaling over 18.3 billion naira.

The companies are: Gozinda Enterprises, Bashinta Nigeria Limited, Haleath Enterprises, Uthatak Nigeria Limited, Krasiva Nigeria Limited, Badawulu Ventures Limited, Ebunu Attah Investment, Muha Millennium Motors Limited and Ribaile Petroleum Limited.

One of the counts reads: “That you Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, former Director, Pensions Accounts, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation of Nigeria, Udusegbe Eric Omoefe, Gozinda Enterprises, Bashinta Nigeria Limited, Haleath Enterprises, Uthathak Nigeria Limited, Krasiva Nigeria Limited and Ribaile Petroleum Limited at various times between 2009 and 2010 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired together to obtain by false pretence and with intent to defraud from the Pensions Account, Office of the Head of the Service of the Federation of Nigeria various sums in the aggregate amount of N1, 951, 592,000.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty One Million, Five Hundred and Ninety Two Thousand Naira), 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 Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

The accused pleaded not guilty to the 22-count charge when read to them.

After taking their plea, the prosecution counsel, Godwin Obla asked for a date to commence trial but counsel to the 1st and 2nd accused, R.O Adakole, appearing for S .I. Ameh, SAN and Isaiah Opaaji respectively, applied for bail for their clients.

The case has been adjourned to June 18, 2013 for hearing of the bail application and July 1, 2, 8 and 9 for commencement of trial with the judge ordering the accused to be remanded in Kuje prison.

Shuaibu Teidi and nine others had been standing trial before Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a 24-count charge for alleged N4.56 billion pension’s scam.

They were arraigned, alongside 30 companies; however the charge was dismissed following the prosecution’s application to separate the trial of the suspects.

The accused were first arraigned on March 24, 2011, on a 134-count charge for allegedly defrauding the Pensions Account, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, of billions of naira.