ICPC to arraign ex-Zamfara gov today over alleged corrupt practices

By Ben Agande

ABUJA—The former governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Sani Yerima, will be arraigned today by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offenses Commission, ICPC, today for allegedly scamming former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the federal government, promising to supply 50,000 metric tones of grains without delivering the goods after receiving payment for same.

Similarly, the anti-graft agency in a charge sheet obtained exclusively by Vanguard, also accused the former governor, who amputated the wrist of a thief for stealing a goat, of diverting over N1 billion meant for the repair of collapsed Gusau Dam and the compensation of those to be displaced by the project for other purposes.

In a charge sheet prepared by the commission, which is to be executed in the High Court of Zamfara State today, the former governor, who is also a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, representing Zamfara State in the the senate, was also alleged to have proposed to sell some grains to the federal government without providing same after he had been paid.

The 19-count charge against the former governor also alleged that he used his position as the state governor between 2003 and 2007 to confer corrupt advantage to his associates.

The 19 count charge read, among others: ‘’That you Ahmed Rufai  Sani on or about November, 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at Gusau within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation ZamfaraState House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed Gusau dam and settlement of the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N20,000,000 (twenty million naira) purportedly on assistance to INEC and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”

‘’That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about October 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of  N1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  Zamfara  State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N10,000,000 (ten million naira) purportedly on donation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

”That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about October 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of  N1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  Zamfara  State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N43,008,000 (forty three million and eight thousand naira) purportedly on surveillance of guests and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

”That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  ZamfaraState House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N21,450,000 (twenty-one million four  hundred and fifty thousand naira) purportedly on settlement of publication equipment and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 5
“That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  ZamfaraState House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N64,332,734 (sixty four million three hundred and thirty two thousand seven hundred and thirty four naira) purportedly on sponsorship of government officials to hajj and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 6
“That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  ZamfaraState House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N32,646,286 (thirty two million six hundred and forty six thousand two hundred and eighty six naira) purportedly on settlement of accommodation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and  punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 7
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  ZamfaraState House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N15,800,000 (fifteen million eight hundred thousand naira) purportedly on furniture allowance and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 8
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  ZamfaraState House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N29,200,000 (twenty nine million two hundred thousand naira) purportedly on purchase of 2000  Nanfang  motor cycles and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 9
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about October 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  Zamfara  State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N23,859,692 (twenty three million, eight hundred and fifty nine thousand, six hundred and ninety two naira) purportedly on payment to automobile company and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000

Count 10
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about October 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of  N1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  Zamfara  State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N14,000,000 (fourteen million naira) purportedly on payment of auditing of account and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 11
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about October 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of  N1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  Zamfara  State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N14,170,000 (fourteen million one hundred and seventy thousand naira) purportedly on  ramadan  feeding and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 12
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about October 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of  N1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  Zamfara  State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N14,530,000 (fourteen million five hundred and thirty thousand naira) purportedly on purchase of four 406 Peugeot and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 13
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about October 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of  N1,000, 000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  Zamfara  State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank  loan you spent the sum of N36,000,000 (thirty six  million naira) purportedly on settlement of leave grant for teachers and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 14
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation  ZamfaraState House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed  Gusau  dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N46, 591,692.24, (forty six million, five hundred and ninety one thousand, six hundred and ninety two naira, twenty four kobo) purportedly on school  feeding and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 15
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about February 2007 at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court whilst being the Governor of  Zamfara  State did make a statement vide a letter dated 6th February 2007 captioned “ OFFER FOR SALE OF EXCESS GRAINS”  to the President Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief  Olusegun  Obasanjo  in the course of the exercise of the duty of his office that  Zamfara  State Government had stock of about 100,000 metric  tones  of assorted grains in silos and stores out of which 50, 000 metric tons could be sold to the Federal Government of Nigeria which was to your knowledge false and thereby  committed an offence contrary to section 22 (1) (a) and punishable under section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000

Count 16
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about May 2007 at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court used your position as the Governor of  Zamfara  State  to confer corrupt advantage upon your associate to wit: awarding consultancy services to Development Management  System Ltd for the supply of 50, 000 metric tons (200,000 bags) of grains by  Zamfara  State Government to the Federal Government with the agreement to pay 10 % i.e. N161million of the total cost of N1,610,000,000 (one billion, six hundred and ten million naira) to Development Management Ltd as consultancy fee but for which only 9,181.89 metric tons (91, 818 bags) were supplied and  for which you paid Development Management Ltd N91,840,000 (ninety one million, eight hundred and forty thousand naira) whereas Development Management Ltd was entitled only to N29,565,685.80 (twenty nine million, five hundred and sixty five thousand, six hundred and eighty five naira eighty kobo)  thus overpaid her the sum of N62, 274,315 (sixty two million, two hundred and seventy four thousand,  three hundred and fifteen naira)  and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000

Count 17
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani,  Alhaji  Hashim  A.  Dikko  and Development Management Ltd  on or about May 2007 at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire to commit an offence of using office for gratification to wit: Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about May 2007 used his position as the Governor of  Zamfara  State to award consultancy services to Development Management    System Ltd for the supply of 50, 000 metric tons (200,000 bags) of grains by  Zamfara  State Government to the Federal Government with the agreement to pay 10 % i.e. N161million of the total cost of N1,610,000,000 (one billion, six hundred and ten million naira) to Development Management Ltd as consultancy fee but for which only 9,181.89 metric tons (91, 818 bags) were supplied and for which Development Management Ltd was paid N91,840,000 (ninety one million, eight hundred and forty thousand naira whereas Development Management Ltd was entitled only to N29,565,685.80 (twenty nine million, five hundred and sixty five thousand, six hundred and eighty five naira eighty kobo)  thus overpaid her the sum of N62, 274,315 (sixty two million, two hundred and seventy four thousand,  three hundred and fifteen naira)  and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 26 (c ) and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000

Count 18
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about April 2007 at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court  used your position as the Governor of  Zamfara  State to confer a corrupt advantage upon your associate to wit: awarding contract for the transportation of 50, 000 metric tons of grains (200,000 bags) to HAD Nigeria Ltd to be supplied by  Zamfara  State to the Federal Government at the total cost of N1,610,000,000 (one billion, six hundred and ten million naira) with the agreement to pay N444, 040,000 (four hundred and forty four million, forty thousand naira) to HAD Nigeria Ltd as contract sum but for which only 9, 181.89 metric tons (91,181 bags)  were transported and for which HAD Nigeria Ltd was paid N98 million (ninety eight million naira) whereas she was entitled only to N81,042 525 (eighty one million forty two thousand five hundred and twenty five naira) thus overpaid her the sum of N16, 957,472 (sixteen million, nine hundred and fifty nine thousand  four hundred and seventy two naira) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000
 
Count 19 
That you Ahmed  Rufai  Sani and HAD Nigeria Ltd on or about April 2007 at  Gusau  within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire to commit an offence of using office for gratification to wit: Ahmed  Rufai  Sani on or about April 2007 used his position as the Governor of  Zamfara  State at  Gusau,  Zamfara  State to award a contract for the transportation of 50, 000 metric tons of grains (200,000 bags) to HAD Nigeria Ltd to be supplied by  Zamfara  State to the Federal Government at the total cost of N1,610,000,000 (one billion, six hundred and ten million naira) with the agreement to pay N444, 040,000 (four hundred and forty four million, forty thousand naira) to HAD Nigeria Ltd as contract sum but for which only 9, 181.89 metric tons (91,181 bags)  were transported and for which HAD Nigeria Ltd was paid N98 million (ninety eight million naira) whereas she was entitled only to N81,042 525 (eighty one million, forty two thousand five hundred and twenty five naira) thus overpaid her the sum of N16, 957,472 (sixteen million, nine hundred and fifty nine thousand, four hundred and seventy two naira) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 26 (c) and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.