EFCC re-arrests Bankole after bail

EFCC re-arrests Bankole after bail

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday granted bail to Dimeji Bankole, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives after eight nights in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Fresh charges

However, some agents of the Commission immediately re-arrested Mr. Bankole and he is currently before an Abuja High Court on fresh charges with his former deputy, Usman Nafada.

Bankole who is facing prosecution on alleged corruption charges committed while in office, was asked to submit his international passport to the court which granted him bail earlier in the day in the sum of five million Naira (about 33,000 dollars). and a surety in like sum, with a landed property in Abuja.

He was arrested on Sunday June 5, and charged to court for inflating contract awards which includes the cost of 400 units of 40-inch Samsung (LNS.3410 Television sets) purchased at the rate of 525 thousand Naira per unit, instead of the prevailing market price of N295, 000 and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 58 (4) (a) of the Public Procurement Act No. 14 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (5) of the same Act.

The Commission had also in Abuja on Sunday arrested Mr. Nafada over allegations of corruption while in office.

The former Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representative, Hon. Dimeji Bankole is to remain in The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s custody till Thursday following his re-arrest by the commission after he was granted bail.

EARLIER REPORT:

Charges of intent to defraud

The charge, with the reference number FHC/ABJ/CR/47/11,  stated: “That you, Dimeji Bankole and others now at large on or about the 28th of May, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, being Body of Principal officers of the House of Representatives responsible for the approval of contracts in the House of Representatives, with intent to defraud, did conspire amongst yourselves to inflate the cost of 400 units of 40-inch Samsung (LNS.3410 Television sets.

The charge stated that by approving the purchase of the said item at the rate of 525 thousand Naira per unit, instead of the prevailing market price of 295 thousand Naira, the principal officers committed an offense contrary to Section 58 (4) (a) of the public Procurement Act No. 14 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (5) of the same Act.

It also said: “That you, Dimeji Bankole and others now at large, on or about the 28th of May, 2008 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court  being body of Principal officers of the House of Representatives responsible for the approval of contracts in the House of Representatives , with intent to defraud, rigged the bid for the purchase of 100 units of Sharp Digital Copier 5316 by refusal to follow all the procedures prescribed for public procurements in Sections 17 to 56 of the Public Procurement Act N0.14 of 2007, leading to a loss of value to the national treasury and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 58 (4) (e) of the Public Procurement Act, No.14 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (5) of the same Act.”

The charge said that the principal officers also rigged the bid for the purchase of three units of Mercedes Benz S-600 cars by refusal to follow all the procedures prescribed for public procurements in Sections 17 to 56 of the Public Procurement Act No.14 of 2007.

It would be recalled that the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bankole was arrested Sunday evening in his Asokoro resident by EFCC operatives after a four-hour standoff.

His arrest was sequel to an alleged two-time invitation extended to him by the authorities of the anti-graft body that were all turned down.

Background

Meanwhile, all the travel documents of the former speaker have been confiscated as investigation continues. He was still being held in custody as at the time our correspondent received the charges.

An earlier planned arrest was last Friday botched, following an intervention from powerful people both in and outside government, which included powerful emirs from the North.

Other charges against Bankole include the 2.3 billion Naira car scam, which the commission had since completed its investigation on, last year.

Williams