Hanrrietta Okojie, a Rural Electrification Agency (REA) account and finance department employee, was arraigned at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Friday for alleged involvement in a N1.85 billion scam.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Ms Okojie before Justice Emeka Nwite on four counts. When the case was summoned, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, the ICPC’s counsel, informed the court that Ms Okojie’s plea had been set.
Justice Nwite allowed the anti-corruption commission lawyer’s motion to have the June 6 bench warrant against him canceled because the defendant was in court. After the four-count indictment was read to her, Ms Okojie pleaded not guilty, and Mr Akponimisingha requested a trial date.
However, Ms Okojie’s lawyer, Ishiaku Garba, informed the court that a bail application had been filed and served on the prosecution on June 11. Mr Akponimisingha stated that while the application was served on his office on Tuesday, he only noticed it on Thursday and would need time to react.
“My lord, June 12 was a public holiday, and I couldn’t have come to the office,” he replied. He stated that he should be permitted to respond in the interest of a fair hearing.
The judge agreed that the prosecution should have the opportunity to respond to the bail plea. Justice Nwite, who ordered Ms Okojie’s remand at Suleja Correctional Centre, postponed the bail application hearing until June 20 and set July 10 for trial.
On June 6, the judge issued a bench warrant to arrest Ms Okojie, Musa Karaye, and Emmanuel Pada for failing to appear in court for their arraignment. The judge issued the ruling in response to Mr Akponimisingha’s oral application.
He then adjourned Ms Okojie’s case till Friday so that the ICPC could present her in court, while Messrs Karaye and Panda’s hearings were scheduled for June 13 (Thursday). The ICPC has preferred separate four-count charges against the impacted officials, including Usman Ahmed Kwakwa, for alleged theft of public monies intended for the provision of power to rural communities across the country.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/203/24, Ms Okojie was accused of receiving N342 million in various tranches through her Access Bank Account: 0009022275 under the false pretense of project supervision, with the intent to defraud the REA, sometime in March 2023 or so.
The offense is claimed to be against section 1(1)(a) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The overall fraud proceeds shared by all accused officials amounted to N1.85 billion. (NAN)
