Three senior staffs of Abia State Civil Service have been remanded in prison custody by a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital on Monday for fraud.
The civil servants identified as Charity Nneoma Ukaonu, Udeachara Uche and Kalu Idika were dragged before the court by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering.
Their charges were contained in suit no. FAC/UM/CR/57/2019.
According to the eleven-count charge, the EFCC accused the trio who are members of Abia State Salary Enhancement and Audit Committee of transferring to themselves a sum amounting to millions of naira through salary padding between 2015 and 2019.
According to the charges, Udeachara Uche had within the said period transferred about N1,667892.43 to his son, Chidiebere Udeachara and another sum of N878,900.98 to Sometochukwu Udeachara; all minors.
The three who were said to have reported to the EFCC last Thursday have been in the EFCC custody until Monday when they were arraigned in court.
Pleading on their behalf for bail consideration, the defense counsel, Mr. D. O. Uruakpa disclosed that Charity Ukaonu, who is a Director in the state civil service is asthmatic, while Uche Udeachara’s wife just put to bed.
According to him, the court notice came late. This is even as he stated that the offenses are bailable as “the Efcc is using money laundering charge to tighten the noose on the neck of the defendants who are civil servants”.
According to him, the defendants have been reporting to EFCC every month since 18th October, 2018.
He went ahead to ask the court to allow him be their surety.
However, the Prosecuting counsel, C. O. Ugwu opposed the bail application by the defence counsel.
In her ruling, the Presiding Judge, Evelyn Anyadike ordered that the accused be remanded in the Afara Correctional Center till 11th November for bail application consideration.
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