10th November, 2015
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Tuesday arraigned Gabriel Suswan, former Governor of Benue State in court over a nine-count charge largely bordering on money laundering to the tune of N3.1 billion at the Federal High Court Abuja.
Suswan who was governor of Benue State from 2007 to 2015 was arraigned alongside his commissioner for finance, Omadaki Oklobia charges which bordered on Section 15(2, 3) of the Money Laundering Act (2011). He was escorted into the court premises by officials of the anti-graft agency.
The former Governor and the Commissioner pleaded not guilty to the charges and their counsel, Ahmed Raji, asked the court to grant them bail on self recognition.
But Rotimi Jacobs, the prosecution counsel who was not opposed to the bail said it should not be on self recognition since a former Governor has jumped bail in the past. Consequently, Justice A. R Mohammed granted bail to the two accused on provision of a N100 million bond, two sureties who must be senior civil servants of level 12 and above, or any person occupying a national office.
The accused, the Judge ruled will remain in the custody of the EFCC until they perfected their bail conditions.
Suswam and Okolobia were alleged to have diverted the proceeds of the sale of shares owned by the Benue State government and Benue Investment and Property Company Ltd. EFCC had on October grilled the former governor and his former finance commissioner over the allegations.
The anti-graft agency had consequently on 2 October, 2015 filed a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N3.1 billion at a Federal High Court, Abuja.