EFCC Arraigns Ex-NMA Boss, Five Others for Alleged Stealing, Conspiracy

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Five doctors, including the former Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Edo State, Dr. Emmanuel Ighodaro, were wednesday arraigned before Justice Efe Igbonmwonba of a Benin High Court on alleged stealing the sum of N13.6 million and conspiracy to commit fraudulent false accounting.

Others in the charge sheet marked: BLCD/EFCC/8/2017 are: Dr. Anthony Owolabi, Dr. Quincy Atoghengbe, Dr. Raymond Ogieva and Dr. Oseremen Gabriel Ogbebor.

The accused persons are facing 21-count charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the charges, the prosecuting counsel, Dr. Ben Ubi, said the defendants committed the offence while acting in their capacities as officers of Edo NMA between 2013 and 2014.

The statements read: “The defendants, knowingly and privies to omitting the UBA Account No. 1010717142, a material particular in an account maintained and operated by the NMA in its audit report for the accounting year August 1, 2013- July 31, 2014.”

They were also accused of conspiring among themselves “to make a false entry in the audit report of the accounting year, August 1, 2013-July 31, 2014 of the association to wit, inserting anticipatory income in the report to cover a loan of six million naira yet to be received and thereby committed an offence.”

The defendants however, pleaded not guilty to the charges during which their counsel, Bello Imadegbelo (SAN) applied for their bail.
The presiding judge therefore admitted the defendants on bail with N1 million each and a surety who must be gainfully employed; with evidence of tax clearance.