Court sends ex-SSG to prison over SUBEB fund

A Benin City High Court yesterday remanded the immediate past Secretary to Edo state government, Dr. Simon Imuekemhe, and three others in prison over alleged diversion of N113 million State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) fund.
The quartet were formally arraigned by authorities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday for an eight-count charge of criminal conspiracy.

They were also accused of spending monies earmarked for a particular project on another project, while in office contrary to Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
The three other accused persons included ex-officials of the board, Mr. Joseph Sule Emoabino (Chairman), Mr.  David Eson Igbinoba (Secretary) and Aghator Gaskin Efe (director of finance and accounts)

According to the charges, the accused persons committed the offence on or before June 5, 2012, in Benin City, an offence the anti-graft agency also said was contrary to Section 26 (1) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.
The quartet, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Counsel to the ex-SSG, Omoruyi Omonuwa, urged the court to sustain the administrative bail granted the accused by the anti-graft agency pending when the bail application would be granted.

The prosecutor counsel, Barrister Larry Peters objected to the accused application pointing out that   the administrative bail seizes to exist since they (the accused) were now before the court.
In her ruling, the presiding Judge, Justice Esther Edigin, agreed with the prosecuting counsel’s submission that granting bail to the accused persons would mean granting bail before hearing of an application.
She, therefore, ordered the accused persons to be remanded in prison pending when their bail applications would be heard on March 14, 2014.