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FG arraigns two civil servants with 86 exotic cars

By Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja
09 February 2018   |   4:16 am
The Federal Government yesterday arraigned the Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, Ibrahim Tumsah and his brother, Tijani, before a Federal High Court, Abuja.

High Court

The Federal Government yesterday arraigned the Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, Ibrahim Tumsah and his brother, Tijani, before a Federal High Court, Abuja.

They were arraigned through the Okoi Obono-Obla-led Special Presidential Investigation Panel on Recovery of Public Property.

The two are facing trial before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, on a two-count charge bordering on failure to declare their assets to the presidential panel.

Tijani was said to be a member of the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative and a former interim national secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC).

Before their arraignment yesterday, Justice Muawiyah Idris of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Apo, Abuja, had on December 6, 2017 ordered that 86 luxury vehicles, four houses and a quarry plant in Abuja, which the panel allegedly seized from the two defendants should be forfeited to the Federal Government.

However, after taking their plea of not guilty to the charges yesterday, the court granted them bail in the sum of N20 million and two sureties.

The prosecution counsel, Festus Keyamo (SAN) did not object to the bail applications filed by counsel to the accused persons, Abdul Mohammed (for Ibrahim Tumsah) and Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) for Tijani.

The court, while adopting the bail conditions agreed upon by the prosecution and the defence counsel, stated that the sureties must either be businessmen or public servants not below grade level 15.

Also, the sureties must have landed properties anywhere in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The defendants were to deposit their international passports with the court and should not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

Justice Dimgba threatened to remand the accused in Kuje Prison should they fail to comply with the bail conditions within three days.

‎Commencement of trial has been fixed for March 1.

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