Suspended Director General (DG) of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir Haliru Gwarzo and an Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services in the agency, Zakawanu Garuba have been arraigned before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama, Abuja.
They were arraigned on Tuesday on a five-count charge marked: CR/185/18, in which they were accused of misappropriating about N115million naira.
Gwarzo was accused by the prosecuting agency, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) of among others, using his position to confer corrupt advantage upon himself when he received N104.8m as severance benefit when he was yet to retire.
He was also accused of receiving N10.98m “in excess of car grant payable to you.”
Garuba was accused of among others, using his position to confer corrupt advantage on another public officer by approving the two sets of money Gwarzo allegedly received.
Three counts in the charge affected Gwarzo, while the other two were directed at Garuba.
Gwarzo, dressed in white kaftan and Garuba, who was dressed in deep blue suit, stood in the dock during the about an hour proceedings.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them by an official of the court.
Defence lawyers, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN) and A. A. Malik told the court about the bail applications they filed for the defendants, which they later moved upon the court’s permission.
Prosecution lawyer, Henry Emore did not object to the bail applications.
He however urged the court to grant bail on terms that will enable the defendants attend court during trial.
Ruling, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf granted them bail at N25m, with a surety each, who must be a Deputy Director in any Federal Government ministry or agency
The judge also directed that the sureties must own land within the FCT, while the defendants are to deposit their international passports with the court’ Registry.
He adjourned to June 28 and 29 for the commencement of trial.
The five counts read;
*That you Dr. Mounir Haliru Gwarzo (m) sometime in June 2015 or thereabout, at Abuia, Federal Capital Territory, while being a public officer, used your position as the Director-General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself when you received the sum of N104, 851,154.94 (one hundred and four million, eight hundred and fifty one thousand, one hundred and fifty four naira, ninety four kobo) as severance benefit whereas you were yet to retire, resign or disengage from the service of SEC and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
*That you Dr Mounir Haliru Gwarzo,(m) between May 2015 and June 2015 or ‘ thereabout, during the period of your appointment as the Director-General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), being entrusted with the management of the SEC did commit criminal breach of trust to wit: dishonestly misappropriating the sum of N104, 851,154.94 (one hundred and four million, eight hundred and fifty one thousand, one hundred and fifty four naira ninety fear Kobe) as your severance benefit when you are yet to retire, resign or disengage from the service of SEC and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 and punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Volume 4 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2007.
*That you Dr Mounir Haliru Gwarzo (m) sometime in June 2015 or thereabout, at Abuia Federal Capital Territory, while being a public officer used your position as the Director-General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself when you received the sum of N10,983,488.88( ten million, nine hundred and eighty three thousand, four hundred and eighty eight naira, eighty-eight kobo) in excess of car grant payable to you and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000
*That you Zakawanu Garuba (m) on or about June, 2015 while being a public officer used your position as a Commissioner in the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to confer corrupt advantage on another public officer to wit: approving the sum of N104, 851,154.94 (one hundred and four Million, eight hundred and fifty one thousand, one hundred and fifty four naira ninety four kobo) as severance benefit to the then Director-General of SEC, Dr Mounir Haliru Gwarzo when he was yet to retire, resign or disengage from the service of SEC, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section , 19 Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000
*That you Zakawanu Garuba (m) on or about June, 2015 while being a public officer used your position as a Commissioner in the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to confer corrupt advantage upon another public officer to wit: approving the Sum of N10,983,488.88 (ten million, nine hundred and eighty three thousand, four hundred and eighty-eight naira, eighty-eight kobo) in excess of car grant payable to the then Director General of SEC; Dr Mounir Haliru Gwarzo and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
