N4.8 Billion Fraud: Trouble for Former Chief of Air Staff as Appeal Court Makes Tough Decision
- A former chief of Staff has been ordered to return to the Federal High Court Abuja for a N4.8 billion trial which he had been acquitted of
- The order for General Mohammed Umar to be tried by the lower court was made by the Court of Appeal on Thursday, August 4
- The decision of the higher court followed an appeal made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the lower court's judgment on the case
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The acquittal of a former Chief of Air Staff, Mohammed Umar by a Federal High Court in Abuja has been overturned by a higher court.
Premium Times reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja took its decision to overturn the judgment of the lower court in a money laundering case involving the alleged diversion of N4.8 billion belonging to the Nigerian Air Force on Thursday, August 4.
In a judgment delivered by a three-member panel led by Elfrieda Williams–Dawodu, the former air chief was ordered to return to the Federal High Court for a retrial.
Source: UGC
The Punch reports that the court in its order mandated Umar to proceed to enter his defence on five charges of which he had earlier been acquitted.
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Umar had been accused of diverting over N4.8 billion from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force for personal use.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that the former Air Chief bought properties in choice areas of Abuja and other states including one at Plot No. 1853, Deng Xiano Ping street, Off Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro Extension, Abuja.
According to the commission's allegation, Umar used part of the funds to acquire a property comprising a four-bedroom duplex, with boys’ quarters at Road 3B, Street 2, Mabushi, Ministers Hill, Abuja.
However, in its ruling on the EFCC allegation, the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba dismissed six out of the seven charges by the commission.
The court ruled that there was no sufficient evidence by the prosecution to warrant calling on the defendant to defend himself regarding Counts 1 to 6.
The judge further order Umar to enter his defence in the seventh charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N66 million diverted from the Air Force.
The decision of the court forced the EFCC to appeal the judgement which the Court of Appeal has overturned in favour of the commission.
Big win for FG as court convicts dormer college registrar for receiving double salary for 11 years
A High Court sitting in Jos on Thursday, August 4, convicted the former registrar of Federal College of Veterinary Medical Laboratory Technology, Vom for receiving multiple salaries.
Muhammad Ambursa was convicted of collecting double salaries for 11 years while working for the Federal Government.
The court fined the former college registrar and ruled that all salaries collected for these past years be returned to the Nigerian Government.
ICPC finds N540 million in account of primary school teacher with N76K salary, court makes strong decision
A primary school teacher had been made to forfeit millions of naira found in her bank accounts by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The commission had said that it found a total of N540 million in the account of the teacher whose salary is a mere N76,000.
According to ICPC, Egbuha worked with some individuals and a private-owned company to divert the proceeds of the crime after she was caught.
Source: Legit.ng
