The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 14 new charges against former Kwara State Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed and former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, in a Kwara State High Court.
The charges allege a total of N5.78 billion in fraud involving the diversion and misappropriation of public funds intended for various state projects and security measures.
This legal action follows the withdrawal of a previous case against them in the Federal High Court, Ilorin, after the transfer of the former trial judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike. The new charges were presented before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar.
Ahmed and Banu were initially arraigned on a 12-count charge of mismanagement of public funds on April 29, 2024, to which they pleaded not guilty. Due to the transfer of the judge, the case had to restart anew.
Among the new charges, Ahmed is accused of failing to complete an assets declaration form provided by EFCC officers upon his arrest. This specific count does not include Banu. The offence is punishable by up to five years in prison under the EFCC (Establishment) Act.
The EFCC alleges that Ahmed misappropriated N1,610,730,500 originally allocated for state security, instead using it to charter private jets through Travel Messengers Limited, in violation of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.
In detail, one of the charges states: “That you, ABDULFATAH AHMED (while being the Governor of Kwara State) and ADEMOLA BANU (while being the Commissioner for Finance in Kwara State), on or about January 14, 2015, in Ilorin, did illegally spend the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 to pay salaries of civil servants, which was originally allocated for projects approved by the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC).”
When the case was called on Monday, EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) requested the new 14-count charge to be read to the defendants, which was granted by Justice Abdulgafar. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following their pleas, the defense counsel sought to continue the administrative bail previously granted, citing their compliance since the case began in 2019. Justice Abdulgafar approved their bail, setting it at N100 million each with two sureties one of whom must be a serving or retired permanent secretary in the state.
The case has been adjourned until December 4 and 5, 2024, for further hearings.
