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ICPC arraigns suspended SEC chief for alleged abuse of office
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday arraigned the suspended Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Mounir Gwarzo, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo.
He was arraigned alongside a Principal Manager, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Jamila Muhammad.
Gwarzo and Muhammad were arraigned before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi on 14- count charge of gratification and abuse of office.
ICPC alleged that Gwarzo on December 28, 2016, while serving as the SEC Director-General knowingly held a private interest as a director and shareholder of Outbound Investment Limited, a company which was awarded a contract to supply and install 12 units of air conditioners.
The Commission alleged that four units of refrigerators at SEC Lagos zonal office were bought for N3.4 million contrary to Section 12 of Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Act, 2000.
ICPC also alleged that the defendant used his position as SEC chief to gratify himself when Outbound Investment Limited was awarded the contract to supply and install 12 units of air conditioners and four units of refrigerators at SEC Lagos zonal office, thereby committed an offence that was contrary to Section 19 of the ICPC Act.
According to the Commission, Muhammad on November 15, 2015, while being a public officer used her position as Principal Manager at NIMC to gratify herself.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court.
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Counsel for Gwarzo, Mr. Omokayode Dada, however, moved the motion for his bail and urged the court to grant the first defendant bail.
The counsel for the second defendant, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), drew the court’s attention to her absence in court on February 18, when the matter first came up, which prompted the court to issue a bench warrant for her arrest.
He told the court that Muhammad’s absence due to ill-health, adding that ICPC had effected the warrant order.
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