Court remands former Benue governor in prison over alleged diversion of N9.69 Billlion



Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that a former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, an ex-Finance Commissioner Omadachi Oklobia and one other be remanded in Kuje prison, following their arraignment for allegedly diverting N9.79billion public funds.



Justice Kolawole ordered that Suswam, Oklobia and a former Accountant, Benue State Government House Administration, Mrs. Janet Aluga, should to remain in prison pending when they are able to meet the conditions attached to the bail granted them yesterday.

The three were arraigned on a 32-count charge, in which they were among others, accused of diverting N9,791,602,453.8 meant for the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) scheme and police reform, between 2012 and 2015.

The offence was allegedly committed when Suswam was the governor and the other two served in their various capacities.



When the charge was read to them, they pleaded not guilty, following which their lawyers raised the issue of bail.

The charge was filed by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) on March 27, 2015

Lawyer to Suswam and Oklobia – Tawo Tawo (SAN) – informed the court that he has filed bail applications for his clients. He urged the court to adopt the November 10, 2015 ruling by Justice Ahmed Mohammed (before who Suswam and Oklobia are being tried on a separate case) granting bail to his clients.

Lawyer to Mrs. Aluga, Innocent Daa’gba, also informed the court about a similar bail application he filed on June 8, 2017 for his client.

Lead prosecuting lawyer, Aminu Alilu, did not object to the applications for bail, but said he preferred to leave the issue of whether or not bail should be granted to the defendants at the discretion of the court.

Justice Kolawole granted bail to the defendants by adopting, but with little variation, the conditions in the bail earlier granted Suswam and Oklobia by Justice Mohammed.

Justice Kolawole admitted the three to bail at N250 million each, with one surety, who must be a director or principal officer not below Grade Level 12 of any agency of the Federal Government, state or local government area in any part of the country.

He said where the defendants cannot find a government official, they are at liberty to present “a person who owns a national honour” as sureties.

Justice Kolawole ordered that the three defendants should be remanded in prison until the court’s Deputy Registrar (DCR) Litigation verified the documents to be tendered by the defendants and the prison authorities advised to release them.

The defendant, earlier in the proceedings, rejected a proposal by the prosecution to transfer the case from the Abuja, to the Makurdi, Benue State division of the court. They argued that the state of insecurity, which informed the decision of the prosecution to file the case in Abuja earlier in March, still persists.

Justice Kolawole has adjourned to October 10 for the commencement of trial.

Suswam and Oklobia are being tried before Justice Mohammed (also at the Federal High Court, Abuja) by the (EFCC on a separate charge of alleged diversion of about N3 billion proceeds from the sale of Benue State’s shares in some companies.

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