EFCC arraigns works ministry director, surveyor for N1.9bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, arraigned a former Deputy Director, Highways, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, alongside a surveyor, Sulaiman Abdulkadir Muhammed of the Department of Highways and Planning before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  High Court sitting in the Apo area of Abuja.

They were arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds amounting to N1,936,961,649.00.

The alleged offence, the EFCC said, is contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The funds were reportedly earmarked for the acquisition of titles for federal roads nationwide between March 4, 2019, and July 17, 2020, but were allegedly converted to their personal use.

One of the counts in the charge read: “That you, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, whilst serving as Deputy Director Highways, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and Project Coordinator for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads, and Suleiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, whilst serving as Surveyor of the Department of Highways and Planning, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, between March 4, 2019, and October 21, 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, used your office to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves by putting to your own use the sum of N807,053,000 despite being funds budgeted for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads Nationwide, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Following their plea, the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed (SAN), requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendants in the correctional centre.

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However, counsel to the first and second defendants, J.K. Kolawole and A.S.U. Garba, applied for a short adjournment to enable them to file for bail applications and requested that the defendants be remanded in the EFCC’s custody.

The presiding judge, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, adjourned the matter till April 3, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application and remanded the two defendants at Kuje Correctional Centre.

In a related development, the EFCC also arraigned the first defendant, Olowoniyan, on a separate three-count charge before the court for allegedly diverting public funds amounting to N439,502,200 to personal use.

One of the charges read: “That you, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, whilst serving as Deputy Director Highways, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Project Coordinator for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads, and in such capacity entrusted with public funds, between March 27, 2019, and December 17, 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, transferred the cumulative sum of N301,994,200 to Chile Ushahemba (a staff of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing) and received in cash the sum of N19,140,000, which you converted to your own use, thereby committing a criminal breach of trust contrary to and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law.”

The defendant also pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Justice Onwuegbuzie, therefore, adjourned the matter to the same date, April 3, for the hearing of the bail application.

The Star