ICPC lists late NIPSS official for trial over graft

CURIOUSLY, one of the five members of staff of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), is dead. They were arraigned before a Jos High Court on an eight count-charge of corruption andconspiracy at the weekend.The accused are Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed, Joseph Sabastine and Peter Vondo while Babven Nyam (the deceased) and Agah Chukwu are now reportedly at large.They were charged with corruption and conspiracy in sharing money ranging from N1 million to N5 million belonging to the institute's pensions board, an offence punishable by law. The accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges.Counsel to the first, second and third accused, Ahmed Garba, Sunday Obende and Sunday Abednego in that order, asked the court to adjourn the matter.Garba (counsel to the first accused), however, apologised to the court for the absence of his client (Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed) on January 24, 2012 and applied for the bench warrant issued against his client to be lifted.The trial judge, Yargata Nimpar, advised the counsel to always do the right thing while dealing with their clients, emphasising that if any accused persons fails to appear in court, the bench warrant would be issued according to the court standing rule.The ICPC prosecutor, Okechukwu Igwuaku, did not object to the application but urged the court to attach conditions to the application brought before it so as to hold the person responsible in case of any default. The bail was granted with two sureties each for all the accused persons who must be resident in Jos and must have landed property.Nimpar then adjourned the case to March 1 and 2, 2012, for further hearing.
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