EFCC arraigns former minister over N450 million ‘fraud’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday arraigned a former Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe, a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Plateau State, Raymond Dabo before the Federal High Court in Jos for alleged embezzlement of N450 million.

The EFCC also arraigned Lyons Sunday Jatau as one of the defendants.

The accused were charged with illegally receiving the money from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to finance the re-election campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan and his Vice-President.

At the first hearing of the suit, Mrs. Ochekpe told trial judge, Musa Kurya, that she handed over the said sum to the PDP governorship candidate in the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state, the late Gyang Pwajok.

Mr. Pwajok died in an Indian hospital after a protracted aliment after the election which he lost to Simon Lalong of the All Progressives Congress.

EFCC prosecution counsel, Yusuf Muchaka, said the accused persons breached the law by receiving money they knew was corruptly sourced.

He supported the charge with an affidavit sworn to by Olayinka Rotimi, an operative with EFCC who was part of the team that investigated the case.

The judge granted the accused persons bail on self-recognition and adjourned the case to February 13 and 14 for further hearing.