EFCC arraigns Edo ex-NMA boss, others over N21.7m alleged fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned five doctors for alleged conspiracy to commit felony, fraudulent false accounting and stealing of about N21.700 million belonging to the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

They are Emmanuel Ighodaro, Anthony Owolabi, Quincy Atoghengbe, Raymond Ogieva and Oseremen Gabriel Ogbegbor. The accused were executive members of the NMA branch between 2013 and 2014.

They were arraigned before Justice Efe Ikponwmonba of High Court 11, criminal division, Benin City.

Ighodaro, the former chairman of the association and the other accused who were his executive members are a facing 21-court charge. They pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them by the court clerk.

EFCC said the offences were punishable under section 516, section 435(2)C), section 435(2)b), section 390(7) and section 390(9) of the criminal code.

According to the charge sheet, counsel to EFCC, Ben Ubi, alleged that the accused between 2013 and 2014 conspired to make a false entry in the audit report for the accounting year, ended August 1st, 2013 to July 31, 2014 of the association, inserting “anticipatory income” in the report to cover a loan of N6 million yet to be received.

He also alleged that the accused conspired to omit an entry of N3 million withdrawal from the Fidelity Bank account No.4150018859 in the audit report for the accounting year of the association.

Other allegations were conspiracy to make a false entry in the audit report for the accounting year ended August 1st, 2013 and July 31, 2014 of the association that the sum of N2,700 million, out of N6million loan taken by the outgone executive, had been repaid on trust.

They were also alleged to have stolen the sum of N3 million, the sum of N2 million, N1million being the property of the association, N2.100 million out of the N2.805 million claimed to have spent from another account number 1013598852 on exhibition stands for the annual delegate meeting/annual general conference of the NMA for 2014.

Other allegations were the stealing of N895,000, N200,000 and N805,000 from an account 1013598852 by the accused being the property of the association.

The accused were, however, admitted on bail by the presiding judge in the sum of N1 million each and a surety who must be gainfully employed and with evidence of tax clearance.

Ikponwmonba adjourned the case to February 20, 2018 for hearing.