Politics
Court orders ex-gov Suswam remanded in Kuje Prison
A former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, was on Monday ordered to be remanded in Kuje Prison, Abuja.
He was so ordered along with two of his former aides by Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The order came when the trio were arraigned before the court on a fresh 32-count charge of fraud to the sum of N9.79 billion meant for Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P)
The judge who granted them bail in the sum of N250 million each plus other conditions, however ordered them to be remanded in prison pending when the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation, of the Federal High Court, Abuja informed the court that the conditions had been met.
In the 32 new charges brought against Suswam and his co defendants, the federal government alleged that the N9,791,602,453.8 meant for the SURE-P scheme and a small fraction of it for police reform was allegedly diverted by the defendants between 2012 and 2015 while Suswam was the governor of the state.
Read also: N550M FRAUD: Ex-FCT Minister Bala to remain in Kuje prison until …
The SURE-P scheme was set up by the then President Goodluck Jonathan administration following the part removal of fuel subsidy in 2012.
Suswam and his his co-defendants pleaded not guilty to all the 32 counts when they were read to them in court.
It would be recalled that the Department of State Security (DSS) had arrested and detained Suswam on February 25 for allegedly being in possession of firearm which was said to have been found inside the boot of his car.
The Federal Government had also on January 25, asked the court to adjourn sine die, another N7 billion criminal charges filed against Suswam by the office of the Inspector-General of Police.
Suswam who had filed a N10 billion fundamental human rights against the DSS withdrew the case seeking an order of unconditional release from detention.
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