The nine accused civil servants

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday arraigned nine suspected payroll fraudsters before Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, on a 16-count charge of conspiracy and illegal stealing of workers’ salary to the tune of N293million.

The suspects: Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Johnson Adedokun, Ojeifo Robert Slyvanus, Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji, Florence Olaolu Dada, Olaolu Haruna Dada, Blessing Ejeh and Aderibigbe Isaac Taiwo were alleged to have conspired to collect ghost workers’ salaries and entitlements from different ministries.

The offence breaches Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990, and punishable under the same Act.

Justice Kekemeke, in the circumstance, ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody and adjourned to November 8, 2017 for hearing of the bail application.

The charge against the nine defendants:

COUNT 1: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Johnson Adedokun, Ojeifo Robert Sylvanus and Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji being employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria between 2009 to April 2016 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory agreed among yourselves to do an illegal act to wit: theft and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN, 1990.

COUNT 2: That you, Osuntope Opeyemi, being an employee of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the Year 2009 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed theft by dishonestly creating fictitious names and accounts in the Federal payroll for payments of the sum of N5,313,090.66 (Five Million, Three Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, Ninety Naira, Sixty Six Kobo) as salaries/allowances from the Federal Government’s account without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.

COUNT 3: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi and Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji being employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the Year 2010 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed theft by dishonestly fictitious names and accounts in the Federal payroll for payments of the sum of N9,406,087.95 (Nine Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Eighty Seven Naira, Ninety Five Kobo) as salaries/allowances from the Federal Government’s account without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.

COUNT 4: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Ojeifo Robert Sylvanus and Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji being employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the Year 2011 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed theft by dishonestly fictitious names and accounts in the Federal payroll for payments of the sum of N16,083,566.01 (Sixteen Million, Eighty Three Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Six Naira, One Kobo) as salaries/allowances from the Federal Government’s account without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.

COUNT 5: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Ojeifo Robert Sylvanus, Johnson Adedokun and Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji being employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the Year 2013 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed theft by dishonestly fictitious names and accounts in the Federal payroll for payments of the sum of N64,156,760.94 (Sixty Four Million, One Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty Naira, Ninety Four Kobo) as salaries/allowances from the Federal Government’s account without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.

COUNT 6: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Ojeifo Robert Sylvanus, Johnson Adedokun and Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji being employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the Year 2013 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed theft by dishonestly fictitious names and accounts in the Federal payroll for payments of the sum of N64,156,760.94 (Sixty Four Million, One Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty Naira, Ninety Four Kobo) as salaries/allowances from the Federal Government’s account without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.

COUNT 7: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Ojeifo Robert Sylvanus, Johnson Adedokun and Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji being employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the Year 2014 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed theft by dishonestly fictitious names and accounts in the Federal payroll for payments of the sum of N97,373,410.31 (Ninety Seven Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand, Four Hundred and Ten Naira, Thirty One Kobo) as salaries/allowances from the Federal Government’s account without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.

COUNT 8: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Ojeifo Robert Sylvanus, Johnson Adedokun and Oyebade Ebenezer Ayodeji being employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the Year 2015 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed theft by dishonestly fictitious names and accounts in the Federal payroll for payments of the sum of N82,317,126.02 (Eighty Two Million, Three Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty Six Naira, Two Kobo) as salaries/allowances from the Federal Government’s account without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.

COUNT 9: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi and Johnson Adedokun being employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine and Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the Year 2016 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory committed theft by dishonestly fictitious names and accounts in the Federal payroll for payments of the sum of N7,397,601.65 (Seven Million, Three Hundred and Ninety Four Thousand, Six Hundred and One Naira, Sixty Five Kobo) as salaries/allowances from the Federal Government’s account without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 289 of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.

COUNT 10: That you, Usman Aliyu Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Johnson Adedokun, Florence Olaolu Dada, Olaolu Haruna Dada, Blessing Ejeh and Aderigbe Isaac Taiwo from 2010 to 2016 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did conspire to commit a felony to wit: theft and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97(2) of the Penal Code Act (Abuja) LFN 1990.