On Monday, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwarinpa, Abuja, postponed making a decision till Thursday over the bail request submitted by Chris Ngige, a former Minister of Labor and Employment who is on trial for allegedly committing a ₦2.2 billion contract scam.
After hearing arguments from the defense, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the EFCC, Trial Judge Maryam Hassan postponed making a decision.
According to reports, Ngige, who was minister from November 11, 2015, to May 29, 2023, was arrested last Friday on eight counts of alleged contract fraud and abuse of authority while supervising operations connected to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, or NSITF.
The court ordered that he be kept at the Kuje Correctional Center in Abuja until his bail application was decided after he entered a not guilty plea to the charge.
He was accused of accepting payments from companies that received NSITF contracts and using his position to influence contract awards in order to provide cronies unfair advantages.
According to the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, the offenses are penalized under a number of clauses.
Through its legal team, headed by Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, the EFCC opposed the bail plea and asked the court to reject it.
The prosecution accused Ngige of neglecting to return his international passport after traveling overseas in October for medical treatment, alleging that he had violated a prior administrative bail granted by the Commission.
The EFCC also emphasized to the court the seriousness of the case, pointing out that a conviction carries a minimum term of five years in jail.
In response, defense attorney Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, begged the court to allow his client bail while the case was heard and decided.
He bemoaned the fact that Ngige had been detained by the EFCC for three days prior to being hauled to court for arraignment.
“The question of whether or not he will be granted bail is a constitutional right. In this nation, the defendant is not an unknown individual.
“I don’t believe anyone in this nation will claim not to know the defendant. He was described as a minister of this nation even in the accusation, according to Ikwueto.
“I implore your lordship to grant the defendant bail, and we are prepared to fulfill any requirement your lordship will put as a condition for his bail,” he continued.
Additionally, the defense attorney informed the court that the former minister was not in good health, claiming that the penitentiary facility lacked the medical resources to treat his illness.
Ikwueto further argued that the accusations against his client were bailable because they did not constitute capital crimes.
It’s not as if they are accusing him of stealing NSITF or ministry funds. We’ll see how those contracts were awarded once the trial gets underway. He emphasized that it is neither an allegation of terrorism nor a treasonous offense.
Specifics of the Alleged Agreements
The EFCC claimed that Ngige violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 by using his position to give Cezimo Nigeria Limited, a business connected to his associate, an unfair advantage by approving seven NSITF consulting, training, and supply contracts worth ₦366,470,920.68.
The Commission further claimed that Ngige gave Zitacom Nigeria Limited eight NSITF contracts totaling ₦583,682,686 between September 2015 and May 2023, with Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, the company’s managing director and chief executive officer, being described as his colleague.
Eight more NSITF contracts worth ₦362,043,163.16 were purportedly given to Jeff & Xris Limited, a company connected to Nwosu Chukwunwike, another colleague.
In count four, Ngige was charged with swaying four contracts totaling ₦668,138,141 in favor of Olde English Consolidated Limited, which belonged to an accomplice named Uzoma Igbonwa. Additionally, he was accused of approving four more contracts through Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited worth ₦161,604,625 for the same partner.
Claimed Kickbacks
The EFCC further claimed that the former minister “corruptly” accepted financial gifts from NSITF contractors in May and June of 2022.
It stated that he received ₦26,130,000 from Jeff & Xris Limited, ₦55,003,000 from Zitacom Nigeria Limited through his scholarship program, and ₦38,650,000 from Cezimo Nigeria Limited through his campaign organization.
Sections 17(a) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act, 2000 are allegedly violated by the claimed offenses.
In order to rule on the bail motion, the judge postponed the case until Thursday.
