Kehinde Fajobi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Sulieman Garba Bulkwang, the Director of Human Resources Management at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), for fraud.
Bulkwang faced five charges related to the alleged diversion of funds and money laundering amounting to ₦223,412,909 (Two Hundred and Twenty-Three Million, Four Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Nine Hundred and Nine Kobo).
A statement from the EFCC on Friday revealed that Bulkwang was charged with criminal activities.
This included the alleged counseling of Umaefulem Donatus Chibueze, Managing Director of Cees Assist Resources and Brainstask Value Resources (consultants to REA), to divert ₦138,123,969 (One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, One Hundred and Twenty-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Nine Naira) from a payment of N279,330,000 (Two Hundred and Seventy-Nine Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira) made to the consultants by REA.
The EFCC said the sum constituted proceeds of unlawful activity, violating the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act of 2022.
The second count accused Bulkwang of converting N45,000,000 (Forty-Five Million Naira) from payments made to various companies, including Dammy Gold Programme Ltd and World Class Business, knowing that the money was the product of unlawful activity.
Bulkwang pleaded “not guilty” to all charges, and the court adjourned the matter to February 3, 2024, for a bail application hearing.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered that the defendant be remanded in Kuje Correctional Center pending the hearing.