A Dean in the University of Calabar, Prof Francisca Bassey has been arraigned in court for alleged N20.6 million contract fraud.
She was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before the Cross River State High Court six, Calabar, by the commission.
According to ICPC, Bassey, who is the Dean and Director of the Pre-Degree Programme of the university, have private interests in multiple contracts awarded by the school to four companies owned by her.
In a 10-count filed before Justice Elias Abua, the anti-graft agency said that the alleged crime occurred between 2013 and 2017, in violation of section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The ICPC disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, titled, ‘ICPC docks University of Calabar don over N20.6m fraud.’
The charged sheet showed that Bassey at different times benefited from a series of contracts totalling N20,679,324.63 awarded to Bakuf Ventures, Rivet Investment Nigeria Ltd., Joebas Enterprises and Arumo Nigeria Ltd.
It was discovered that contracts of about N7,819,916.24 were allegedly awarded to Bakuf Ventures on four occasions between 2013 and 2017 while other contracts worth N4.7 million were awarded to Rivet Investment Nigeria Ltd between 2013 and 2015 by the institution.
The dean further used two of her companies, Joebas Enterprises and Arumo Nigeria Ltd to commit multiple contract fraud.
She allegedly benefitted from N5,736,797.84 contracts awarded to Arumo Nigeria Ltd and N2,450,700 awarded to Joebas Enterprises within the same period.
The statement noted, “the accused entered a not guilty plea when the charge was read to her, as her counsel, Joseph Oloku, filed a bail application praying the court to admit her to bail on self-recognisance.”
“The bail was opposed by counsel to ICPC, Kioba Anabraba, who prayed the court to grant her bail on terms that would make her attend her trial,” the statement revealed.
Professor Basset was granted bail by the presiding judge in the sum of N5m with one surety in like sum.
The judge said that the surety must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The matter was adjourned for trial to October 11 and 12.