N19.6m Scam: EFCC Arraigns Three Katsina Flour Mills officials
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 arraigned Abdulmalik Ibrahim, Darda’u Idris Safana and Hassan Hashimu before Justice Abdullahi Yusuf of the Katsina State High Court on three count charge of misappropriation of public funds and criminal breach of trust. The trio who are former General Manager, Accountant and Store Keeper respectively of the Katsina Flour Mills Limited allegedly conspired among themselves and embezzled the sum of N19, 667,187 from the company between January 2011 and April 2012.
The charge reads in part, “that you Abdulmalik Ibrahim, Darda’u Idris Safana and Hassan Hashimu in your capacity as the General Manager, Accountant and Store Keeper of Katsina Flour Mills Limited, sometimes between January 2011 and April 2012, at Katsina within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Katsina State, while being in the management of the Katsina Flour Mills Limited, Katsina in such capacity entrusted with the sum of N61, 298,256 (Sixty One Million, Two Hundred and Ninety Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Six Naira ) property of Katsina Flour Mills Limited, dishonestly converted to your own use the sum N17,902,409 (Seventeen Million Nine Hundred and Two Thousand, Four Hundred and Nine Naira ) out of the said N61,298,256 which was meant for the profitability of the Katsina Flour Mills Limited and as such violated the mandate in which such is to be discharged, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code Law.
“That you Darda’u Idris Safana in your capacity as the accountant, Katsina Flour Mills Limited sometimes between May 2011 and 2012, at Katsina within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Katsina State dishonestly misappropriated the sum N1,764,781 (One Million Seven Hundred and Sixty Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty One Naira ) given to you by the Manager Water Venture, one Muhammed Umar and which is the property of the Katsina Flour Mills Limited, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under section 309 of the same Law”.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting the prosecuting counsel, Idris Haruna to request for a trial date. However, defence counsel, C.U Kalu presented an oral bail application for his clients but Justice Yusuf insisted on a formal application.
