24th January, 2011
Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday adjourned further proceedings on the suit instituted by two employees of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria to 24th February to allow for the service of the court processes on the parties to clear the way for the substantive hearing of the suit.
The two employees; Mr. Abiakwe Darlington and Mrs. Ehirim Comfort, had dragged the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the council; Dr. Daniel Maddo and the Council before the court over the allegation that they were being victimized for testifying and giving evidence which exposed a fraud in the Council in their testimonies before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Investigative Panel set up by the Board of the Council to probe seriesof allegations of fraud and abuse of office peddled against the Registrar of the council and other management staff.
The plaintiffs alleged that following the exposure of the financial scam in the Council which led to the sack of the Council’s Accountant; Mr. Hilary Ibe, that the Registrar who aided and abetted the former Accountant, has not hidden his disdain for them because of the evidence they adduced before the anti graft agency and the Investigative panel. They claim that since the exposure of the fraud, that they have both been inundated with queries and interdictions, all in an attempt to relieve them of their appointments without recourse to due process.
The Registrar and the sacked Accountant were accused of inflating the nominal roll of employees in the Veterinary Council and systematically defrauded the Federal Government of millions of Naira for over a decade as salaries, allowances and entitlements for the ghost workers who they placed on high grade levels.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigated the matter last year before another panel was set up by the Board of the Council which recommended the sack of the Accountant and reprimanded the Registrar.
The plaintiffs dashed to court to truncate the plot to relieve them of their appointments and their eviction from the Quarters of the Council in Kubwa; a satellite town in Abuja, where they reside. They are asking the court to make an order vacating the interdiction of the first plaintiff; Mr. Darlington Abiakwe, which was made by the respondents on the 1st of April, which was done in utter disregard to the pending suit.
They are also asking the court for an order compelling the respondents to restore Mr. Abiakwe to his position as Confidential Secretary 2 with all entitlements and benefits as well as an order restraining the defendants from terminating their appointments or harassing them and their families as a result of their roles as witnesses at the investigation conducted at the Council by the EFCC.
Dr Maddo who is due to retire from service this June is alleged to have threatened that the duo will never return to office over their conducts which led to the discovery of the scam.
By Nnamdi Felix / Abuja