Oronsaye, who is alleged to have been
complicit in several contract awards
during his tenure as HoS is being charged
along with Osarenkhoe Afe. They are
alleged to have committed the fraudulent
transactions between 2010 and 2011,
using two companies - Fredrick Hamilton
Global Services Limited, and Xangee
Technologies Limited, for shady
biometrics enrolment deals to the tune of
N2 billion.
BY ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES
COMMISSION
Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High
Court, Abuja, on July 13, 2015 fixed the trial of a
former Head of Service, HoS, Stephen Oronsaye,
and two others who were brought before it by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, on a 24-count charge bordering on
stealing and obtaining money by false pretence
for October 28, 29; November 3, 5 and December
2, 2015respectively.
Oronsaye, who is alleged to have been complicit
in several contract awards during his tenure as
HoS is being charged along with Osarenkhoe Afe.
They are alleged to have committed the
fraudulent transactions between 2010 and 2011,
using two companies - Fredrick Hamilton Global
Services Limited, and Xangee Technologies
Limited, for shady biometrics enrolment deals to
the tune of N2 billion.
A third accused person, Abdulrasheed Maina,
former Chairman of the Pension Task Team is
currently on the run.
One of the counts reads in part: “That you
Stephen Oronsaye, Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina
(now at large) Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick
Hamilton Global Services Limited on or about
2nd July, 2010 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court collaborated in disguising
genuine nature of the sum of N161,472,000
derived from an illegal act wit, conducting
procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and
corrupt action the contract extension of
biometric enrolment purportedly awarded to
Innovative Solutions Limited by the Office of the
Head of Service of the Federation without
following due process and you thereby
committed an offence punishable under Section
14 (1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition)
Act, 2004.”
Another count reads: “That you Stephen
Oronsaye, Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina (now at
large) and Xangee Technologies Limited (now
facing another charge) between July and
December 2011 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction
of this Honourable Court, collaborated in
disguising genuine nature of the sum of
N153,146,719.99 derived from an illegal act to
wit; conducting procurement fraud by means of
fraudulent and corrupt action the contract of
biometric enrolment purportedly awarded to
Xangee Technologies Limited by the Office of the
Head of Service of the Federation without
following due process and you thereby
committed an offence punishable under Section
14 (1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition)
Act, 2004.”
They both pleaded not guilty when the charges
were read to them.
Following their plea, counsel to EFCC, Aliyu
Yusuf, asked the court for a date for
commencement of trial, and to remand the
accused persons in prison custody. He also
notified the court that the prosecution had 18
witnesses it intended to present during the trial.
However, Kanu Agabi, SAN, counsel to Oronsaye,
while expressing readiness for the trial to
commence, gave an oral application for bail
noting that the defence wanted “a speedy end to
the matter.” He further argued that
constitutionally, his client was presumed
“innocent until proven guilty”. He told that court
that he had also filed a formal bail application
with the court. Oluwole Aladedoye, counsel to
Afe, who also represented the third accused,
Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, also
gave an oral application for bail, aligning himself
with the argument of Agabi. He informed the
court that he had also filed a formal bail
application.
Yusuf, however, told the court that he received
the application late and needed to file a counter-
affidavit. He further stressed that the EFCC
would not be able to accommodate the accused
persons, urging the court to order that they be
remanded in prison custody.
Justice Kolawole, thereafter, fixed July 21,
2015 for hearing on the bail applications filed by
counsel to the accused persons. In his ruling, the
judge said, “I hereby decline oral bail application
and it shall be formal to provide a level playing
ground, as it must be based on the materials
placed before the court.” He urged Yusuf to avail
the court of his counter-affidavit on or
before Wednesday, July 15, 2015.
The judge, thereafter, released the accused
persons on “the strength of their counsel, who
must sign an undertaking within the next 48
hours, that the accused persons shall return to
court on the said date fixed for the hearing of
the bail applications.” He added that: “I have no
doubt that the primary place of remand is the
prison, but this is not the case in all instances.”
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
13th July, 2015u
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