EFCC arraigns lecturer over N19.7m misappropriation

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Makurdi Zonal office in Benue State at the weekend arraigned a Nasarawa State University lecturer over breach of trust in misappropriating the sum of N19.7 million. The lecturer, one Moses Peter Adoga, was brought before Justice Simon Aboki of the Nasarawa State High Court sitting in Lafia, […]

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Makurdi Zonal office in Benue State at the weekend arraigned a Nasarawa State University lecturer over breach of trust in misappropriating the sum of N19.7 million.

The lecturer, one Moses Peter Adoga, was brought before Justice Simon Aboki of the Nasarawa State High Court sitting in Lafia, on a one-count charge for dishonestly converting the sum of N19,765,200 for his own use, an offence punishable under Section 312 of Penal Code Laws.

EFCC’s Head of Public Affairs Unit in Makurdi zonal office, Mrs Nwanyinma Okeanu, in a statement in Makurdi disclosed that trouble started for Adoga, a lecturer with the Department of Microbiology in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Science at the Nasarawa State University in Keffi, when a petitioner alleged that he (accused) obtained a Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) grant of the sum of N19,756,200 through Nasarawa State University in 2010 to study for a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Bangor University, United Kingdom.

Adoga was said to have obtained the money under disguise of overseas PhD training and never presented any evidence of going or graduating as he claimed and yet he kept giving myriad of excuses.

The EFCC spokesperson further stated that analysis of the accused’s statement of account showed that he diverted the funds for business and sundry purposes other than the reason why it was given to him.

Okeanu said eight years after the grant of the money to the accused, he could not produce a PhD certificate from any university, stressing that his action may have and stands to disqualify genuine people who ought to have been considered in the nearest future for such grants.

The accused was said to have pleaded not guilty to the one count charge.

Upon an application for his bail, Justice  Aboki admitted him to bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.

The judge adjourned the matter till July 10, 2019 for commencement of trial.