ICPC arraigns NDDC director, FCT official for alleged fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Tuesday, arraigned a director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Solomon Okpa Ita for alleged diversion of N45 million at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The ICPC also arraigned Gabriel Nathaniel, a staff in the Accounts Department of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) for alleged diversion of about N3 billion from his office.

They were arraigned separately before Justice Zainab Abubakar.

The duo however pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them by the commission.

Ita, a director in the Department of Community and Rural Development of NDDC, was arraigned on a four-count charge while Nathaniel was arraigned on a 14-count charge.

READ ALSO: EFCC arrests ex-NDDC MD, Nsima Ekere, for alleged N47bn fraud

In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/110/2022, filed by the ICPC through its lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimsingha, the commission alleged that the NDDC official diverted part of the funds paid for a contract awarded to a group, Radiant Women Association.

In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/CR/168/2022, ICPC said Nathaniel committed the offence between 2015 and 2019.

Justice Abubakcommittedar granted Ita bail in the sum of N50million with one surety in like sum.

She ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the ICPC pending when he meets the bail condition, and adjourned the matter till October 25 for trial.

However, the judge fixed the hearing of Nathaniel’s bail plea for Wednesday and ordered him to be remanded in the commission’s custody.

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