PHILOMINA Chieshe, an official of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and five others have been remanded by an Abuja High Court over their involvement in the missing N35m from sale of JAMB e-cards in Benue.
Philomina was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Samuel Umoru, Yakubu Jekada, Daniel Agbo, Priscilla Ogunsola, and Aliyu Yakubu.
The anti-corruption agency arraigned her and others on eight counts bordering on refusal to account for the Board’s money between 2014 and 2016.
Justice Peter Afen ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of EFCC pending the outcome of their bail application.
He then adjourned until Monday June 3, 2019 for the hearing of their bail application.
EFCC alleged that Philomina, a sales clerk with JAMB, told JAMB investigative panel that she could not account for the money she made in previous years before the Board stopped sale of scratch cards.
She reportedly claimed that the money was swallowed by a snake in Makurdi, Benue State.
She said her housemaid had connived with another JAMB employee to, “spiritually,” through a snake, steal the money from the vault in the accounts office.
EFCC said the actions contravened Section 139 (a) of the Penal Code Law.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Ekene Iheanacho, prayed the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial and to remand the defendants in jail.
Iheanacho also admitted receipt of the bail applications filed by lawyers to defendants, while admitting that he hadn’t read through because he was served on Friday (today).
