The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Suleiman Garba Bulkwang, Director of Human Resources Management at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), before the Federal High Court in Abuja over a five-count charge of alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to N223,412,909.
This was disclosed in a statement by the EFCC on its official x page.
The EFCC accused Bulkwang of diverting public funds and engaging in money laundering through consultants and shell companies.
One of the charges alleges that Bulkwang directed Umaefulem Donatus Chibueze, Managing Director of Cees Assist Resources and Brainstask Value Resources, to transfer N138,123,969 out of a total payment of N279,330,000 received from REA.
The charge states:
“That you, Suleiman Garba Bulkwang, while being the Director of Human Resources Management of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did counsel one Umaefulem Donatus Chibueze, the Managing Director of Cees Assist Resources and Brainstask Value Resources, to transfer the sum of N138,123,969 (One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, One Hundred and Twenty-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Nine Naira), knowing that the said sum constituted proceeds of unlawful activity. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(a) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
Another charge revealed that N45,000,000 was indirectly laundered through multiple companies linked to the defendant.
Court proceedings
Bulkwang pleaded “not guilty” to all charges. Prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in custody, citing the absence of defense counsel.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the request and adjourned the case to February 3, 2024, for the hearing of the defendant’s bail application.
Meanwhile, Bulkwang was ordered to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Center.
What you should know
- Nairametrics reported that Justice Mojisola Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court has sentenced Fatuyi Yemi Philips, Chairman of NOGASA, to 21 years in prison for misappropriating N43.5 million through his company, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited.
- The crime was carried out through his company, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited, the fraudulent scheme involved a false promise to sell $98,870 in exchange for the N43.5 million collected from the complainants, Elochukwu Okoye and Elebana Unique Ventures Nigeria Limited
- The EFCC charged Philips with obtaining funds under false pretences and theft, resulting in concurrent sentences of 14 and 7 years. The court also fined the company N750,000 and ordered restitution of $90,202 or its Naira equivalent to the complainants.