The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Sani Rufai to court over the mismanagement of N1 billion compensation funds for victims of collapsed Gusau Dam.
ICPC in a 19-count charge filed before Justice Bello Shinkafi of High Court 4, Gusau, accused Senator Rufai of willfully diverting N385. 5 million from the money meant for the collapsed dam and the compensation of the victims, thereby contravening Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
The Commission in a charge sheet also averred that the former governor, who amputated a man’s hand for stealing a goat through his own Sharia law, used his company, Development Management System Ltd, in February 2007, to defraud the Federal Government of N91.8 million as consultancy cost for the supply of 50, 000 metric tons of grains, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Part of the charge sheet reads, “That you Ahmed Rufai Sani on or about October 2006 whilst being the Governor of Zamfara State at Gusau within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation Zamfara State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed Gusau dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan, you spent the sum of N43,008,000 (forty three million and eight thousand naira) purportedly on surveillance of guests and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
‘That you Ahmed Rufai Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of Zamfara State at Gusau within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation Zamfara State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed Gusau dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N21,450,000 (twenty-one million four hundred and fifty thousand naira) purportedly on settlement of publication equipment and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
‘That you Ahmed Rufai Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of Zamfara State at Gusau within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation Zamfara State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed Gusau dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N64,332,734 (sixty four million three hundred and thirty two thousand seven hundred and thirty four naira) purportedly on sponsorship of government officials to hajj and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
‘That you Ahmed Rufai Sani on or about November 2006 whilst being the Governor of Zamfara State at Gusau within the jurisdiction of this court did commit an offence of spending money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) additional budgetary allocation Zamfara State House of Assembly allocated for the repair of collapsed Gusau dam and payment of compensation to the victims of the said dam which was obtained through bank loan you spent the sum of N32,646,286 (thirty two million six hundred and forty six thousand two hundred and eighty six naira) purportedly on settlement of accommodation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
‘That you Ahmed Rufai Sani on or about May 2007 at Gusau within the jurisdiction of this court used your position as the Governor of Zamfara State to confer corrupt advantage upon your associate to wit: awarding consultancy services to Development Management System Ltd for the supply of 50, 000 metric tons (200,000 bags) of grains by Zamfara State Government to the Federal Government with the agreement to pay 10 % i.e. N161million of the total cost of N1,610,000,000 (one billion, six hundred and ten million naira) to Development Management Ltd as consultancy fee but for which only 9,181.89 metric tons (91, 818 bags) were supplied and for which you paid Development Management Ltd N91,840,000 (ninety one million, eight hundred and forty thousand naira) whereas Development Management Ltd was entitled only to N29,565,685.80 (twenty nine million, five hundred and sixty five thousand, six hundred and eighty five naira eighty kobo) thus overpaid her the sum of N62, 274,315 (sixty two million, two hundred and seventy four thousand, three hundred and fifteen naira) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000”.
The Senator who represents Zamfara West Senatorial District at the National Assembly pleaded not guilty to all the charges read to him by the trial judge, Justice Shinkafi.
His Counsel Mahmud Magaji (SAN) asked the court to grant him bail on self recognition, saying that the ex-governor would always be available for trial.
Justice Shinkafi granted him bail in the sum of N100 million and two sureties who must own landed property worth N150 million. One of the sureties must be a resident of Gusau, the state capital.