A former member of the Plateau State House of Assembly representing Pengana Constituency, Mr. Michael Jibrin Apese has on Thursday been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Yakubu Dakwak of the Plateau State High Court on four counts of fraud, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N7,334,826. The accused was arraigned along with his brother Mr. Akatin Jirbin as directors of a fraudulent company “Pharmaceutical Stores” and “Super Markets Nigeria Limited”.

One of the Charge reads; ” That you, Mr. Michael Jubril Apese, Akatin Jibrin and Pharmaceutical Stores and Super Market Nigeria Limited, between June and August 2008 in Jos within the Jurisdiction of the High Court of Plateau State, being entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: the sum of N7,334,828  meant for Constituency Projects, committed Criminal breach of trust, to which the sum was dishonestly converted to your own use in violation of the law thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau state“.

A former member of the Plateau State House of Assembly representing Pengana Constituency, Mr. Michael Jibrin Apese has on Thursday been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Yakubu Dakwak of the Plateau State High Court on four counts of fraud, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N7,334,826. The accused was arraigned along with his brother Mr. Akatin Jirbin as directors of a fraudulent company “Pharmaceutical Stores” and “Super Markets Nigeria Limited”.

One of the Charge reads; ” That you, Mr. Michael Jubril Apese, Akatin Jibrin and Pharmaceutical Stores and Super Market Nigeria Limited, between June and August 2008 in Jos within the Jurisdiction of the High Court of Plateau State, being entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: the sum of N7,334,828  meant for Constituency Projects, committed Criminal breach of trust, to which the sum was dishonestly converted to your own use in violation of the law thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau state“.

A ViewPointNigeria source confirmed that having pled not guilty to the charges, the prosecuting counsel urged the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial. The prosecuting counsel stated that EFCC was willing to prosecute the accused and requested that they be remanded in prison pending the commencement of the trial. However, the defence counsel Moses Dalhatu, told the honourable court that he had filed for bail, supported by an comprehensive affidavit to which the prosecution had replied and therefore prayed the court to consider the bail application.

Having listened to both the prosecution and defence counsels, the judge granted the accused bail to the sum of N500,000 each with one surety -further stating that the surety must be the owner of a landed property in Jos with confirmed certificate of ownership.

The date for the commencement of the trial has been set for 15th March 2013. 

By Augustine Ishaku

Stay with ViewPointNigeria as this story unfolds

count | 52

Ex-Plateau lawmaker arraigned in Court by EFCC over Constituency Project scam