TheCable

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Paul Boroh, a former aide of President Muhammadu Buhari and ex-director of the amnesty programme, over an alleged N975 million fraud.

He was arraigned alongside one Hanafi Moriki. Both men are facing a nine-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust to the tune of N974,768,466 and $1,914,000.

The anti-graft organisation accused the defendants of converting N8,601,571; N106,288,445; N12,078,450; N382,800,000; N456,000,000; N9,000,000 and more, while being public officers.

“That you, Paul Boroh and Hanafi, Moriki between the 1st of December 2016 and 30th July, 2017 at Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst being public servants entrusted with property to wit funds of the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, dishonestly converted the sum of One Million, Seven Hundred and Fourteen Thousand United States Dollars to your own use and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under section 315 of the Penal Code Law,” one of the counts read.

However, they pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read out to them in court on Thursday.

Thereafter, Mike Ozekhome, counsel to Boroh, prayed the court to grant his client bail on “liberal terms.”

Ozekhome said his client willingly brought himself to court despite his failing health.

Also, O.A Dada, counsel to Moriki, asked the court to grant his client bail.

But Aisha Habib, counsel to EFCC, opposed the bail application.

Habib informed the court that a counter affidavit had been filed against the application and prayed the court to grant the case accelerated hearing.

Ruling on the application, O. O. Goodluck, the judge, granted a N2 million bail to Boroh and N20 million to Moriki.

The judge also asked them to provide two sureties resident in Abuja, not below the rank of assistant director in the federal public service.

They were also ordered to deposit their passports with the court registry. The case was adjourned till November 26, 27 and December 3, 4 for trial.