Alleged fraud: APC chieftain sent to prison

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– A chieftain of the APC in Enugu state, Chief Benjamin Apugo, has been sent to jail pending his bail application over alleged fraud

– Apugo, is alleged to have illegally sold six plots of land belonging to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) for N36 million

– The APC chieftain has however, pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu state, Chief Benjamin Apugo, has been remanded in prison by the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia state over alleged N36 million fraud.

Apugo, according to Vanguard, is facing a three count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences, preferred on him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was alleged to have illegally sold six plots of land belonging to the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) at Umunwulari Nkata Ibeku layout, Planning Scheme Umuahia for N36 million.

The APC chieftain however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting the prosecution team led by Joshua Saidu to apply for a trial date while praying that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending trial.

But counsel to the accused R.M. Udechukwu, SAN, asked the court to allow Apugo continue on the administrative leave granted him by the EFCC.

After an exhaustive argument between the prosecution and defence counsel, each relying on several affidavits and counter-affidavits, the court presided over by Justice Osiagor, eventually granted the defendant bail to the tune of N10 million and two sureties in like sum.

The court stated that the two sureties must be senior civil servants of not less than deputy director with one of them having a landed property within Umuahia metropolis which title documents must be deposited with the court registrar.

Justice Osiagor further directed that both counsel together with the court registrar shall also verify the sureties and ordered Chief Apugo to be remanded in prison custody pending fulfilment of bail conditions.

The matter has been adjourned to 17th and 18th November for trial.

Apugo was arrested on Friday, September 30, 2016 by EFCC following a warrant issued by the court which considered his numerous attempts to evade taking a plea on the charge preferred against him.

Meanwhile, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has said that President Muhammadu Buhari has taken the fight against corruption as priority and will not spare anybody even his own friends.

Vanguard reports that the vice president made this comment in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday, October 11.

He said: “The major drain on the country’s resources. No one would be spared in the fight against corruption because, even the close friends of the President know that they will not be spared; he will not cover for them. Fighting corruption is a priority”.

Osinbajo also revealed that 200,000 unemployed graduates had been selected to be engaged by the federal government under the N-power jobs Programme. He said that this was in fulfillment of campaign promises of the present administration.

Source: http://nigeriabreakingnews.com.ng/alleged-fraud-apc-chieftain-sent-to-prison/