Nigerian Financial Crime Warlord: The Makurdi Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has prosecuted one Moses Peter Adoga before Judge Simon O. Aboki of the Nasarawa State High Court based in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Adoga was sponsored on Friday 7th June 2019 on a single charge for dishonestly converting the sum of N19,765,200 (Nineteen million, seven hundred and sixty five thousand two hundred naira) being a grant from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) him to study a doctorate, for other purposes.
Tony Orilade, acting head, media and publicity for the anti-corruption agency, in a press release issued, said that the offense is punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code Laws.
However, the tally charge reads: “That you, Moses Peter Adoga, at some point in 2011 at Keffi within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, were charged in the sum of N19,765,200 (Nineteen million seven hundred and sixty five thousand two hundred naira) from Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
The money was deposited into the professor’s United Bank for Africa account through the Nasarawa State University Diamond bank account for the purpose of training and developing academic staff at Bangor University in the UK.
“He dishonestly converted them for his own use and thereby committed a breach of trust offense contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code Statutes. He said.”
But, the speaker pleaded ‘not guilty’ to one count.
In view of his allegation, the attorney for the prosecution, María Onoja, prayed for a date for the start of the trial. She also prayed that the accused be remanded in custody pending the hearing of his bail application.
Defense lawyer, SK Sheltu, orally requested bail for his client and Judge Simon O. Aboki granted the defendant bail in the amount of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) with two guarantees for the same amount. . The defendant must deliver his international passport to the Clerk of the Court.
The judge adjourned the matter until July 10, 2019 for the start of the trial.
The trouble started for Adoga, Professor, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Nasarawa Keffi State University, when a petitioner alleged that the suspect obtained a Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) grant in the amount of N19, 756,200 through Nasarawa State University in 2010 to study for a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Bangor University, UK.
He got this money disguised as PhD training abroad and never produced any evidence of going or graduating as he claimed and yet he kept making excuses.
Analysis of his account statement showed that the suspect diverted the funds for business and miscellaneous purposes other than the reason the funds were delivered.
Eight years after the suspect was awarded the money, he was unable to produce a doctoral certificate from any university.