Pension Scam: HIGH COURT BAILLIFS FACE TRIAL Two bailiffs with the Federal High Court, Idris Mahmud and one Danladi Ademu are now facing criminal charges for allegedly forging housing documents with which a former Director of Pension Office Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu used in securing his bail from the Federal High Court. The Two Court Officials were put on trial by Police at the Magistrate court in Karu, Abuja on a two count criminal charges. Magistrate, A. Oyeyipo of Karu magistrate Court fixed Friday, 25th July for trial following a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the police accusing the suspects of forgery. Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, a former governorship aspirant in Kogi states along with his companies, including Riba - Ile Petroleum Limited have been standing trial before federal high court in Abuja over alleged embezzlement of over N20 billion pension funds while at the helm of affairs at the Pension Office. Idris Mahmud, according to the (FIR) was alleged to have conspired with Danladi Ademu and committed forgery, an act said to be contrary to section 364 of the penal code law. Trouble started for the duo following the bail granted to Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the federal high court in the sum of N500m with two sureties in like sum. The sureties who were by the court order expected to be resident in Abuja must also owned landed properties anywhere within Abuja worth the bail sum .Their title possession and valid tax clearance certificate must be verified and retain by the deputy chief registrar of the court. Dr. Teidis sureties in an attempt to fulfill the bail conditions provided documents purporting to be title deeds for a property whose value is equal to the bail sum. In compliance with the directives of Justice Adeniyi Ademola, the deputy chief registrar of the federal high court wrote two letters for verification of the certificate of occupancy submitted by Teidis sureties. The letters number 42/42/82 dated 4th February, 2002 issued in favour of Engineer Attah Ossian Ahaba in respect of plot number 24, Block V, federal government layout, Gwarimpa, Abuja, and certificate of occupancy number 211/24/97, dated 11th August, 2003 issued in favour of Onum Ofitu, in respect of plot number 18, federal government layout, Gwarimpa, Abuja. The court bailiff, Idris Mahmud took the two letters to deliver them to the federal ministry of lands, housing and urban development for the required certification. Idris was said to have later returned responds from federal ministry of lands, housing and urban development to the deputy chief registrar of the federal high court indicating that the certificate of occupancy had been verified and confirmed to be genuine. He deposed to an affidavit wherein he categorically stated that he went to the said properties for physical verification as part of the verification procedure. Luck however ran out on the court bailiff following revelations that the purported verification letters from the housing ministry were forged, including the valuation report of the estate surveyor purporting the properties to be valued at N500million. Disciplinary committee of the federal high court which investigated the incident indicted Idris in its report. According to the report, Idris implicated Dr. Teidis relative, Danladi Ademu, whom he alleged to have procured the forged documents. Following the bungled bail terms, Dr. Teidi has remained in detention at the Kuje Prisons since last July when he was re arraigned before Justice Adeniyis court. He was first arraigned alongside Mrs Phina Ukamaka Chidi, his erstwhile deputy at the Pensions Office in 2011 before former Justice Adamu Bello who later retired. Following Justice Adamu Bellos retirement, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), under a case management process, amended the charge and split the accused persons and companies for effective management of the multiple pension cases it was handling. Subsequently, a new charge involving Dr. Teidi, Omoefe Eric Udusegbe and nine companies were transferred to Justice Adeniyis court by the chief judge of the federal high court.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 18:03:53 +0000
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