The Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, could not procedd with the arraignment of the Kwara State Commissioner for Information Prince Olatunji Oyeyemi Moronfoye and Ope Saraki, Nephew to the former Governor ,Dr. Bukola Saraki.
Justice A.O Faaji could not go on as he was reportedly ill, therefore their plea could not be taken a new date has been picked by the Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The accused were docked over an alleged abuse of office and money laundering,Moronfoye is alleged to have used his position as the Senior Special Adviser to the former Governor to enrich himself ,specifically he awarded contracts to the tune of over N200 Million for the renovation of Ijagbo Primary Health Center and supply medical equipments to Health Centres and specialists Hospitals within the State, to a company in which he has interest and was sole signatory to the account.
Saraki, on his part allegedly abused his office and laundered state funds for his personal benefit by awarding inflated contracts to companies owned by his cronies. In one of the transactions involving purchase of Ambulance for hospitals in the state, Saraki duped the people of Kwara State by procuring thirteen Hiace buses from a local dealer and converting them to ambulance in place of factory built ambulance for which a contract of N171,990,000:00 was awarded to Chemiry Limited.
Section 98 (1) of Chapter 12 of the Criminal Code Act states
(i) any public official who corruptly ask for, receives or obtains any property or benefits of any kind for himself or any other person or bribe etc
(ii) corruptly agrees or attempts to receive or obtain any property or benefit of any kind for himself or any other person, on account of
(b) anything done or omitted or any favor or disfavor for already shown to any person, by himself in discharge of his official duties.....................
Any public officer found guilty of abuse of office shall be guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for three years .
Thank you
Oyenike Alliyu-Adebiyi LLB (hons) BL
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