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BURSARY FRAUD: EFCC arraigns Kwara ex-scholarship board chair, 2 others
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, arraigned the immediate past chairperson of Kwara State Scholarship Board, Hajia Fatimah Yusuf before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the State High Court, Ilorin.
Fatimah was arraigned along with two other persons – Fatai Lamidi and Stephen Ajewole on a seven-count charge for their alleged involvements in bursary fraud in the state.
Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Fatimah Yusuf (while being the chairman, Kwara State Scholarship Board), Fatai Lamidi (while being the executive secretary Kwara State Scholarship Board) and Ajewole Stephen (while being the accountant, Kwara State Scholarship Board) between the months of November 2018 and May 2019, in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, while acting in those capacities and entrusted with N50,000,000.00 ( Fifty Million Naira) for the payment of 2018 bursary awards to 10,000 students who are indigenes of Kwara State, dishonestly disposed of N6,269,950 out of the sum in violation of the direction of law prescribing the mode the trust is to be discharged, thereby committed a criminal breach of trust punishable under Section 315 of the same law.”
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges, prompting prosecuting counsel, Blessing Akinsola to ask the court for a date for the commencement of trial and for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Centre (NCC).
Counsel to the defendants, Isau Saka, Y.O. Ahmed, however, urged the judge to grant them bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.
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Justice Oyinloye admitted each of them to bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.
The judge said they must also submit their travel documents to the court.
He adjourned the matter until February 26, 2020, for commencement of trial.
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