January 30, 2011 02:26 PM

http://www.worldstagegroup.com/worldstage/index.php?&id=1847&active=news

Abuja (WorldStage Newsonline)-- Mr Sulaiman Bello, Minister of State for Health and two former top government officials of Adamawa State Government - Mr John Eddie Mannassa and erstwhile Commissioner for Finance in the State, Mr. Emmanuel Vahyala, will on Monday be arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before an Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola over their alleged involvement in a N268 million bribe scam.

The three accused persons, according to a statement by the Media Consultant to ICPC, Mr. Folu Olamiti on Sunday in Abuja, were to be arraigned separately before the court.

The accused persons were dragged before the court for allegedly violating sections 19 and 25 of the ICPC 2000 Act.

Besides appearing before the State High Court, the accused persons, according to Olamiti, will also be arraigned on Tuesday (1st February 2011 before a Federal High Court Sitting in Yola) for allegedly violating provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2004.

At the Federal High Court, the former SSG will face two count charge of money laundering for allegedly collecting and sharing the sum of N130million to some unknown persons contrary to the provisions of Money Laundering Act 2004.

Mr. Mannassa was also alleged to have given N180million cash to the State Governor for Sallah and Christmas Celebration in sharp contrast to the Money Laundering Act of 2004.

The Minister of State for Health, in his own case, according to the Media Consultant to the ICPC, will be charged for allegedly soliciting for the sum of N14.2million from the State Governor and collected the money in cash contrary to the Money Laundering Act 2004.

The Former Finance Commissioner was alleged to have collected about N30million as furniture allowance in cash after collecting same along with others from the State Governor.

At the State High Court, the minister was alleged to have used his position as Resident INEC commissioner to solicit for an collect the sum of N11.2 million as “hardship” allowance from Adamawa state Governor during the April 2007 on general elections in the state contrary to and punishable under section 25 sub section (1) and(a) of the ICPC Act.

Bello was specifically alleged to have solicited the total sum in July 2007 from the Adamawa state Governor but collected N750,000 out of money as Hazard allowance thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the ICPC Act.

The minister was further alleged to use his position as the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa State to confer a corrupt advantage upon another public officer when he unlawfully solicited the sum of N11.2 million from the Governor and gave N500, 000.00 to one M.S Na’Allah, an official of INEC Adamawa State office, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the ICPC Act.

In the charge sheet, Bello was alleged shared the sum of N250,000 each to Mallam Ibrahim Mamman, Alhaji A.A Gunjigu, Mr. Ambrose A. Umms, Mallam Umani Tanko and Refehatu M. Duku, all staff, staff of INEC Adamawa state office, there by committing an offence contrary and punishable under section 19 of the ICPC Act.

Former SSG will be asked questions regarding an alleged N240 million bribe as he face a 10-count charge of using his office to confer corrupt advantage and making false returns on various projects which is contrary to and punishable under various Sections of the ICPC Act, 2000.

He was alleged to have on or before December, 2007 while being a public officer did use his office as the Secretary to the Government of Adamawa State to confer a corrupt advantage upon himself when he demanded for the sum of N130 million from the State Governor to pay constituency allowances, wardrobe allowance and for Sallah, Christmas and New Year Celebrations of the members of the House of Assembly but allegedly converted the money to personal use, thus violating Section19 of the ICPC Act 2000.

The Former SSG was further alleged to have collected another sum of N45 million from the State Governor purportedly to pay membership fee of the Governor’s Forum but only paid N17 million to the coffers of the Forum and converted the balance of N28 million to personal use, thereby committed an Offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the ICPC Act, 2000.

Mr Mannassa was also accused of collecting the sum of N44.8 million from the State Governor to settle some outstanding payments in respect of activities and certain commitment of the State Government incurred in the office of the SSG but did not settle any commitment, and converted the money to personal use, thus committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 19 and 25 of the ICPC Act, 2000.

In February, 2008, Mr Mannassa was alleged to have use his office as SSG to corruptly enrich himself by demanding and collecting the sum of N25million from the State Governor to reimburse various departments for the execution of some projects but did not reimburse any department and converted the sum to his private use, thus committing an offence contrary to Section 19 and 25 (1)(a) of the ICPC Act, 2000.

He was also alleged to have collected N5million from the Government’s Treasury to give welfare assistance to some organised group to help cushion their needs in respect of Sallah, Christmas and New Year celebration in December, 2007 but did not give the sum to any group and converted the money to his personal use.

Mr. Mannassa was further alleged to have confer corrupt advantage on himself when he converted to personal use two new Honda City Model cars properties of the State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the ICPC Act, 2000.

The former Finance Commissioner, Mr Emmauel Vahyala was alleged to have on or about October 2007 while being a public officer did use his office to confer a corrupt advantage upon himself when he received the sum of N3,7million from the Governor to furnish personal/private residence at No. 5 Gassol street Karewa Extension, GRA Yola and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

He was also said to have on or about October 2007 did make false statement to a public officer in the exercise of the duties of his office when he demanded for the sum of N13.6million from the Governor to renovate official residence at Government lodge 66, Yola which was to your knowledge false in material particular and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 25 (1) (b) of the corrupt practices and other related offences Act 2000.