Ex-Finance Commissioner, Gov’s. Chief Protocol Arraigned for N379m, N8.1m Fraud Respectively

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Gombe Zonal office has arraigned one Sanda Jonathan Lamurde before Justice Nathan Musa of the Adamawa State High Court on a 21-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery and using fake documents as genuine.

The former Adamawa Commissioner of Finance who also served as Chairman, Committee on Internally Displaced Person’s Welfare during the tenure of Bala Ngilari is alleged to have diverted about N379, 500, 000 (Three Hundred and Seventy-Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) meant for the purchase of food items for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Adamawa.

He is also alleged to have forged cash/credit invoice of AIG Enterprises to raise payment vouchers of fictitious contracts and converted the funds to his own personal use.

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

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While adjourning until April 16, 2020, for the commencement of trial, Justice Nathan granted him bail in the sum of N20, 000, 000 (Twenty Million Naira) and one surety in like sum, who must be a Permanent Secretary in the state.

In a related development, one Abdurahman Bobboi, a former Chief Protocol to the Governor of Adamawa State was arraigned before the same Judge on a three-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery and using fake documents as genuine.

It was also alleged that he used his official capacity as Chief Protocol and member, Committee on Internally Displaced Person’s welfare of Adamawa to misappropriate N8, 100, 000 (Eight Million One hundred naira) provided for the logistics and transport of food items distribution for IDPs in the state between March and May 2015.

His case has also been adjourned until April 16, 2020, for the commencement of trial as he pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.