ICPC arraigns civil servant for signing-off incomplete project

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a civil servant with the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), Suleiman Austin Adavize, before the court for allegedly signing-off a contract that was not completed.

Adavize was arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on three-count charge bordering on false statement on Monday, December 4.

One of the counts read: “That you, Suleiman Austin Adavize (m) sometime in May, 2022 or thereabout at the Federal Capital Territory Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court while being an Architect at the Border Community Development Agency did make a false statement in your progress report of September 2021. That contract for the construction of ICT Centre at Gumel Local Government Area, Jigawa State awarded to Gare Investment Nigeria Limited was 100% complete when you knew it was false as you did not visit the ICT Centre and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 70 (1)(b) of the Public Enterprise Regulatory.”

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Adavize pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him and his counsel, AG Osayande, applied that the defendant be granted bail subject to the overriding convenience of the court.

The counsel for the ICPC, Eno Ighodaro-Yahaya, did not object to the bail application for the defendant.

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Peter Kekemeke, said since there was no objection to the bail application by the prosecutor, there was no reason to deny the defendant his freedom.

Justice Kekemeke said: “The application for bail is unopposed; the alleged offence is bailable so there is no reason why the Defendant should be denied bail.

“He is hereby granted bail in the sum of N2 million and one surety in like sum.

“The Surety must be a pastor in the church where the defendant worships or the chairman of the estate where the defendant lives or a senior officer in the defendant’s place of work.”

The judge, thereafter, adjourned the case till February 22, 2024, for hearing.

The Star