Chairmanship candidate in Benue LG poll charged to court for criminal offense

One of the chairmanship candidates in Saturday’s local government election in Benue State, Honourable Francis Ayagah of Gwer West local government, Benue State has been charged to court for criminal offense.

Charged along with him is, Paul Mella, a cashier with Benue State Universal Basic Education Board who was accused of conspiring with the first accused of continuous payment of the first accused salaries four months after he had resigned his appointment.

Honourable Wasega Iorfa had dragged the two accused to Magistrate court in Makurdi for conspiracy and defrauding the state government of four months salaries.

The second accused was said to have fraudulently issued Benue State Universal Basic Education receipts dated 16/02/2017 and 03/02/2017 to the first accused on the ground that the first accused had returned to the coffers of the state government the amount fraudulently taken and paid to the first accused.

When the case came for mention at magistrate court 11 sitting in Makurdi opposite Immigration office, counsel to the applicant, Tera Akosu applied for bench warrant on the first accused who was not in court, arguing that the first accused was duly served and tendered proof of service.

But counsel to the first accused Mr M. Ianna objected to it, arguing that his client was having high blood pressure, admitting that he was in receipt of the service.

The applicant counsel however opposed to the first accused counsel of ill health, he submitted that the first accused, ‘as a politician should have shock absorber to absorb political crisis’.

He added that the first accused was only trying to escape arraignment.

The presiding magistrate, Dan Ugoh while ruling, adjourned the case to June 28, 2017 for further mention and granted the second accused N200,000.00 bail and two sureties  in like sum.