JAMB’s missing N35m: Court remands woman who blamed snake, 5 others

An FCT High Court in Maitama has remanded one Philomina Chieshe and five other officials of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over their involvement in the missing N35m from sale of JAMB e-cards in Benue. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC alleged that Chieshe, a sales clerk with JAMB, told JAMB investigative […]

An FCT High Court in Maitama has remanded one Philomina Chieshe and five other officials of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over their involvement in the missing N35m from sale of JAMB e-cards in Benue.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC alleged that Chieshe, a sales clerk with JAMB, told JAMB investigative panel that she could not account for the money she made in previous years before the Board stopped sale of scratch cards.

She reportedly claimed that the money was swallowed by a snake in Makurdi, Benue State.

Cheishe reportedly told the panel that her housemaid had connived with another JAMB employee to, “spiritually,” through a snake, steal the money from the vault in the accounts office.

She was arraigned on Friday alongside Samuel Umoru, Yakubu Jekada, Daniel Agbo, Priscilla Ogunsola, and Aliyu Yakubu on eight counts bordering on refusal to account for the Board’s money between 2014 and 2016. They however pleaded not guilty.

The trial judge, Justice Peter Afen thereafter ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of EFCC pending the outcome of their bail application.

He then adjourned until June 3 for the hearing of their bail application.

The prosecuting counsel, Ekene Iheanacho, had prayed the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial and to remand the defendants in jail.

He later told the court that he got a bail application from the defendants yesterday and has not been able to respond accordingly.