THE Honourable Justice Maryam Hassan of the Jabi Division of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has granted bail to Mrs Ngozi Olejeme, the former Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), at the resumed sitting on Friday scheduled from the day before to decide on defendant’s application for bail.
Justice Hassan had on Thursday (October 21, 2021) remanded Mrs Olejeme in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pending Friday, October 22’s ruling.
Olejeme, who was also a former Chairman of the Board of Trustfund Pensions Ltd, is facing a 9-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds and money laundering, crimes allegedly committed when she was the MD/CE of the NSITF between 2012 and 2015.
In granting Mrs Olejeme bail, the court adopted the administrative bail conditions already granted her by the EFCC, which state that the defendant provide two assistant directors in a government establishments as sureties.
Justice Hassan further ordered that the travel documents of Mrs Olejeme be submitted at the court’s registry. She adjourned the matter to November 8, 2021 for hearing.
The 9-count charge preferred against Mrs Olejeme reads:
“Count 1: That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) dishonestly received the sum of N22,200,000.00 (twenty two million, two hundred thousand naira) in your personal account No. 32327505058110 at GT Bank from Hybrid Investment Advisors Limited, a contracting firm in NSITF as a kickback to facilitate some contracts without due process and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (a) (b) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the same Section.
“Count 2: That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) dishonestly received a total sum of $48,485,127.00 (forty eight million, four hundred and eighty-five thousand, one hundred and twenty even dollars) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 from one Chuka C. Eze, Henry Sambo Ekhasorni, Aliyu Zubairu being the dollar equivalents of naira paid to BDCs directly from NSITF accounts and by contracting firms in NSITF as kickbacks to facilitate some contracts without due process and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) (a) (b) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the same Section.
“Count 3: That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) dishonestly received the sum of N350,000,000.00 (three hundred and fifty million naira) paid into Able Jes Nigeria Limited GT Bank account No: 323277283110 a company you have interest and used your position to confer unfair advantages upon the said company by receiving various payments from BDCs the sum of N20,670,000.00 (twenty million, six hundred and seventy naira) by one Hassan Kano a BDC operator on the 26th April, 2013; the sum of N236,350,000.00 (two hundred and thirty six million, three hundred and fifty thousand naira paid by one Musa Adamu a BDC operator on the 21th of April, 2013; the sum of N20,670,000.00 (twenty million, six hundred and seventy thousand naira paid by Mansur Abubakar a BDC operator on the 30th April, 2013; the sum of N1i16,160,000.00 (sixteen million, one hundred and sixty thousand naira paid by one Dauda Bullama on the 30th April, 2013; and the sum of N36,570,000.00 (thirty six million, five hundred and seventy thousand naira) paid by one Sauki BDC operator on the 8th of May, 2013 thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19 and punishable under the same section of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence Act 2000.
“Count 4: That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejenie being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) received benefit to do favour in the discharging of your official duties to (NSITF) by receiving the sum of N505,000,000.00 (five hundred and five million naira) from Sir Adebayo Adebowale Aderibigbe which was sourced from the monies paid by (NSITF) to Fountain Media Consults Ltd and Fountain Legal Services accounts as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
“Count 5: That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) received benefit to do favour in the discharging of your official duties to (NSITF) received the sum of N346,100,000.00 (three hundred and forty-three million, one hundred thousand naira) from one Mr. Max Ozoaka of Excellex Solicitors as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
“Count 6: That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015 in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) received benefit to do favour in the discharging of your official duties to (NSITF) received the sum of N87,720,000.00 (eighty-seven million, seven hundred and twenty thousand naira) through Mr Aliyu Zubairu of (NSITF) paid by one Mr. Anselem Okolo of Journalism.com as kickbacks and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(i) (b) (i) and punishable under Section 8(b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
“Count 7: That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 2012 and 2015in Abuja, while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) being a public officer in the services of NSITF knowingly holds a private interest in three corporate companies thus Able Jes Nigeria Limited, Julind Nigeria Limited and Luxury Suites and Hotels thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12 and punishable under the same Section of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000
“Count 8: That you Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes between 20I2 and 2015 in Abuja engages in the concealment or disguise of true nature, source, location, disposition, movement, rights with respect to the ownership of properties known as No. 25 Kainji Crescent, Maitama, Abuja; property located at Km. 9, Asaba Benin Express Road, Asaba, Delta State and other properties located at Abuja, Bayelsa State and Delta State knowing that such properties are derived from proceeds of crimes thereby Committed an Offence contrary to Section 17 (1) (d) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) (Establishment) Act, 2004, and punishable under Section 17(2) of the same Act.
“Count 9: That you Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme being the former Board Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) sometimes 18th day of December, 2017 to 16th day of March 2018 at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abuja, made a false statements to detective Chidiebere Imoko investigating officer with Extractives Industry Fraud Sections (EIFS) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Abuja in the course of his official duties and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 39 (2) (a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and punishable under Section 39(2) N) of the same ACT.”
