A three-man panel set up by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to probe some staff members of the Finance and Account department of the Federal Ministry of Justice over diversion of public funds and financial infractions has concluded its investigation.
The panel headed by one Mr Haruna indicted the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry, Joshua Luka Kadmi who is on Grade Level 17 and one Abuh Danjuma, sources said.
SaharaReporters unearthed that the duo, within two months (November to December 2021), embezzled N104 million using the private bank accounts of Danjuma (UBA Account No: 2064800888 and Access Bank No: 0050341092).
Afterward, the junior officer, Danjuma withdrew the money from his bank account and handed it over to Kadmi in a bag.
“Their actions are in breach of the General Regulation Act, stressing that they expended government resources without due process and violated stimulated rules, particularly with reference to sections 12&19 of the corrupt practices and other related offences act, 2000 and punishable under relevance section of the same act,” a source said.
“After their corrupt act, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation set up a committee to probe them. The panel led by Mr Haruna has completed its investigation despite efforts to bribe the officer by Kadmi.
“The panel members are seriously under pressure from top officials of the Justice Ministry to accept a bribe of N5 million to make the report favourable and give the embattled Director of Finance and Accountant a soft landing.”
A petition to the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had called for a probe into over N104 million, which is missing from the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
The petition, started by the Integrity and Transparency Watch (ITW), a Nigerian non-profit organisation and society watchdog, had urged the ICPC to investigate and prosecute Kadmi and one Danjuma, who also works in the AGF’s office.
The petition, dated February 15, 2022, was addressed to the ICPC Chairman, Bolaji Owasanoye by Shaibu Sodangi, the National Coordinator and Head of ITW’s Investigation Department.
The ITW had noted that the actions of the officers are in breach of the General Regulation Act, stressing that they expended government resources without due process and violated stimulated rules, particularly with reference to sections 12&19 of the corrupt practices and other related offences act, 2000 and punishable under relevance section of the same act.
The group further had stated that both Kadmi and Abuh should be made to step aside to allow for a thorough investigation into the issue.