By Former Kwara Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed Arraigned for N10bn Fraud
Ghazali Ibrahim
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the immediate past governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin.
Ahmed was arraigned on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged mismanagement of public funds amounting to N10 billion during his tenure as governor of Kwara State.
Ahmed faces multiple charges, including breach of trust, theft, and failure to declare assets, with potential prison terms if found guilty.
According to the charges, Ahmed and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, allegedly conspired to commit various financial offenses, including misappropriation of funds meant for security and running costs of the state government. The charges detailed instances where funds were allegedly diverted for personal use, including chartering private jets and converting government funds for unauthorized purposes.
Addressing the court, EFCC’s lead counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, stated, “That you, ABDULFATAH AHMED (while being the Governor of Kwara State) between 2015 and 2019 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court used an aggregate sum of N1,610,730,500.00 property of Kwara State Government… and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.”
The defense counsel, Kehinde Eleja, SAN, sought bail for Ahmed, arguing that all charges against the defendant are bailable offenses under the law.
In response, Justice Anyadike granted bail to Ahmed in the sum of N50 million with stringent conditions, including the deposit of passports, title documents of landed property, and evidence of payment of electricity bills for the last three years.
The judge also ordered the defendant to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the perfection of his bail terms, with the trial set to commence on April 29 and 30, 2024.
