How ex-Vice Chancellor collected N260m bribe to influence N3bn contract – Witness

Prof Magaji Garba, ex-Vice Chancellor, Federal University Gusau

The trial of former Vice Chancellor, Federal University Gusau, Prof. Magaji Garba, continued on Tuesday before Justice Maryam Hassan Aliyu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, Abuja.

Garba was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretense and forgery to the tune of over N260 million.

The defendant, the ex-VC, allegedly extorted various sums from a contractor on the pretext of awarding him a N3 billion contract for the perimeter wall fencing of the University.

The offence is contrary to section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act, 2006.

At Tuesday’s sitting, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented the fifth prosecution witnesses in the ongoing trial.

The witness, an investigating officer with the Commission, Inspector Mathias Hamawa who was part of the team that investigated the case, informed the court that sometime in 2018, the defendant promised to award the complainant, a parameter wall fencing contract of Federal University, Gusau in the sum N3 billion, and demanded N260 million from the complainant through a third party, Engr. Aliyu Burka, a procurement officer of the university.

The witness further told the court that the dollar equivalent of N260 million was given to the defendant.

“At that time my lord, no contract of any nature was given to Ministaco Nigeria Limited. Realizing that the tenure of the VC would elapse by February 2021 and there was still no sign of any contract coming through, the complainant, Alhaji Shehu Umar Sambo petitioned the EFCC,” he said.

Upon receiving the petition, he said the EFCC swung into action by contacting the university, Federal Ministry of Education, and Tertiary Education Trust Fund to determine whether they were aware of the purported contract.

All responded, denying knowledge of the said contract.

The letters written to the various institutions of government were tendered in evidence and admitted as exhibit 6a, 6b, and 6c.

While cross examining the witness, the defence counsel, S.M Imam sought to know how much the EFCC recovered from the defendant. “I can’t really remember, but it is around N130 million,” the witness said.

At the end of the cross examination, the prosecuting counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, informed the court of his intention not to call any more witnesses.

The defence on their other hand, indicated its intention to move a no case submission, arguing that the prosecution has failed to establish the ingredient of the offence to warrant his client opening his defence.

Justice Aliyu adjourned the case until February 10, 2022.