The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged a dean at the University of Calabar, Prof. Francisca Ime Bassey, to court over her alleged involvement in a contract fraud of ₦20.6 million.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged a dean at the University of Calabar, Prof. Francisca Ime Bassey, to court over her alleged involvement in a contract fraud of ₦20.6 million.
Prof. Bassey, who is the Dean and
Director of the Pre-Degree Programme of the university, was arraigned on
Wednesday at the Cross River State High Court Six, Calabar, by the Commission
for allegedly holding private interests in multiple contracts awarded by the
school to four companies directly owned by her.
The Commission, in 10 counts filed
before Justice Elias O. Abua, noted that the alleged crime happened between
2013 and 2017 and violated Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences Act, 2000.
The charge sheet revealed that
Prof. Bassey at different times benefited from a series of contracts totalling
₦20,679,324.63 awarded to Bakuf Ventures, Rivet Investment Nigeria Ltd, Joebas
Enterprises, and Arumo Nigeria Ltd.
It was found that contracts
amounting to ₦7,819,916.24 were allegedly awarded to Bakuf Ventures on four
occasions between 2013 and 2017.
The institution also awarded
contracts worth N4.7 million to Rivet Investment Nigeria Ltd between 2013 and
2015.
The dean further used two of her
companies, Joebas Enterprises and Arumo Nigeria Ltd to commit multiple contract
frauds.
She allegedly benefitted from
N5,736,797.84 worth of contracts awarded to Arumo Nigeria Ltd and N2,450,700
awarded to Joebas Enterprises within the same period.
The accused entered a not-guilty
plea when the charge was read to her, as her counsel, Barrister Joseph Oloku,
filed a bail application praying the court to admit her to bail on
self-recognizance.
The bail was opposed by counsel to
the ICPC, Kioba Kio Anabraba, who prayed the court to grant her bail on terms
that would make her attend her trials.
The presiding judge granted her
bail in the sum of ₦5 million with one surety in like sum, insisting that the
surety must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The matter was then adjourned to
October 11 and 12, 2021 for trial.
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