EFCC charges government official for tearing investigation letters

EFCC charges government official for tearing investigation letters

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Gombe Zonal Directorate, on June 11, 2024, arraigned one Usman Malam for allegedly tearing EFCC’s official Investigation Activities’ letters and obstructing the Commission’s investigation before Justice TG Ringim of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, Gombe State.

Malam, a desk officer in charge of responding to official correspondences in the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Gombe State, was arraigned on a one-count charge of willful obstruction of investigation activities and tearing official documents of the EFCC.

Journalists reports that the lone charge against Malam reads “that you, Usman Malam on or about the 26th day of February 2024 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while the officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC were carrying out an investigation activity involving an alleged economic and financial crime, did willfully obstruct the said investigation by tearing the EFCC formal letters of investigation activities dated January 1, 2024, and February 21, 2024, respectively” and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 38 (1) and punishable under Section 38 (2) (a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act”.

Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the one count charge, prompting the prosecution counsel AM Labaran to say, “My Lord, the defendant has put himself to trial hence we shall be asking for a date for trial”. However, counsel to the defendant, SS Usman said, “My Lord, we have a bail application dated July 11, 2024, we are asking the court to exercise its discretion and grant the defendant bail”

Justice Ringim thereafter granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) and one surety in like sum. The surety shall be a director in a government establishment or a private company with a capital worth not less than N10,000,000.

In addition to the conditions, the Registrar of the court should verify the identity of the surety and both the surety and the defendant shall submit two passport photographs to the court.

Justice Ringim remanded the defendant in Gombe State Correctional Service pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and adjourned the case to July 9, 2024, for trial.