Gombe commissioner arraigned by EFFCC for N97m scam contract

The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 9,
2015 arraigned Bulus Adamu Samuel,
Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in
Gombe State on a 4-count charge
bordering on conspiracy, forgery, contract
scam, misappropriation of public funds,
theft and abuse of office.
The accused who was formerly Chairman
of Shongom Local Government, of the
State, was arraigned before Justice M.G
Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in
Gombe.
Samuel, while being the council boss allegedly
inflated a contract for the electrification of 17.5
Km route covering nine villages in the Shongom
Local Government Council awarded to Tican
Engineering Company Nigeria Limited in the sum
of Ninety Seven Million, Six Hundred and Forty
Thousand Naira (N97, 640,000.00).
Count two of the charge reads: “that you, Bulus
Samuel Adamu (m), on or about the 2nd day of
December, 2009 at Shongom, Shongom Local
Government of Gombe State within the
jurisdiction of this Honourable Court while being
the Accounting Officer of the said Local
Government Council, to wit: the Chairman,
Shongom Local Government Council, approved
and directed the payment of the sum of seventy
three million, two hundred and thirty thousand
Naira (73,230,000.00) only to Tican Engineering
Company Nigeria Limited, being 75 percent
payment of mobilization fee over a contract for
the rural electrification in Keffi, Kwara,
Gangamari, Daja, Gurwa, Gundale, Bebbulo,
Kuka and Damjigiri of the said Local
Government and thereby committed an offence
contrary to and punishable under section 35 and
58(5) of the public Procurement Act, 2007
respectively”.
The accused person pleaded not guilty when to
the charge.
In view of his plea, counsel to EFCC, Nnemeka
Omewa prayed the court to fix a date for
hearing and to remand the accused in prison
custody.
However, the defense counsel, A. Malle through
an oral application urged the court to consider
the accused for bail. Justice Umar ordered the
accused to be remanded in prison custody
pending the formal application for his bail and
adjourned the case to April 2, 2015 for trial to
commence.