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By Tayo ABIOLA
The planned arraignment of ex-Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika; his brother, Ahmad Sirika, and a firm – Enginos Nigeria Limited on a fresh eight-count charge has been postponed till May 23.
In the new charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the former Minister of Aviation, his brother, and Enginos Nigeria Limited are accused of being involved in a N10 billion airport contract fraud.
The arraignment earlier scheduled for Tuesday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Garki, was stalled by the absence of the defendants in court.
At the mention of the case on Tuesday, the lawyer to the EFCC, Oluwaleke Atolagbe told the court that, although the matter was slated for arraignment, he noticed that the defendants were not in court.
When asked by the judge, Justice Suleiman Belgore, why the defendants were absent, Atolagbe said he was informed by their lawyer that they reside outside Abuja.
Atolagbe said he learnt that the defendants, who were granted administrative bail by the EFCC, have not been served with the charge and that they could not come into Abuja before Tuesday.
He prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the prosecution to serve the defendants with the charge.
The lawyer to the defendants, Olaniyi Anjorin confirmed the position as stated by Atolagbe.
Anjorin said he was objecting to the application for adjournment made by Atolagbe.
Ruling, Justice Belgore granted the request for adjournment and adjourned till May 23 for arraignment.
Recall that Sirika, his daughter, Fatimat; his son-in-law, Jalal Hamma, and a firm (Al Buraq Global Investment Limited) were on May 9 arraigned before another judge of the High Court of the FCT in Maitama on a six-count charge bordering on corrupt practices.
The erstwhile Minister was billed to enter his plea to a fresh eight-count charge the anti-graft agency preferred against him, his brother, Ahmad Sirika and a company, Enginos Nigeria Limited, before an Abuja High Court sitting at Garki.
The defendants were accused of complicity in a N19.4billion airport contract scam.
None of the defendants was in court on Tuesday.
It will be recalled that the former Minister, his daughter, Fatima, and his son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma, had on May 9, secured N100million bail each from an Abuja High Court at Maitama, over their alleged involvement in a phantom N2.7bn Nigerian Air contract scam.
However, in the fresh charge, the EFCC alleged that Sirika had while in office as a Minister, used his position to confer an unfair advantage on Enginos Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego was his biological brother, Ahmad.
He was accused of using his position to influence the award of contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport for the sum of over N1.3bn, to his brother.
Some of the counts in the charge against the defendants, read: “That you Hadi Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation, on or about August 18, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego, Ahmad Sirika is your biological brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the construction of a Terminal Building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1.345billion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
“That you Hadi Sirika, while being Minister of Aviation, on or about 3rd November, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego, Ahmad Sirika is your blood brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3.811billion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
“That you Hadi Sirika, while being Minister of Aviation, on or about 5 May 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego, Ahmad Sirika is your blood brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Procurement and Installation of Lift and Air Conditioners and Power Generators for Aviation House, Abuja for the sum of N615.195million and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
“That you Hadi Sirika and Enginos Nigeria Limited between August, 2022 and May, 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, had possession of an aggregate sum of N2.337billion, which sum you knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of Ahmad Sirika, who was the Minister of Aviation at the time (to wit: use of office or position for gratification in respect of the said amount), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.”
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