Alleged N2bn fraud: ICPC arraigns ex-PPMC boss’ wife, 5 others

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday arraigned Ochuko Momoh, wife of a former Managing Director of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Haruna, in a Federal High Court, Abuja over alleged N2 billion fraud.

The ICPC charged Momoh alongside five others with 22 counts bordering on money laundering.

The other defendants are Blessing Azuka-Agozi, StanbicIBTC Bank Plc, Energopol Nig., Limited, Blaid Construction Limited and Blaid Farms Limited.

In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/278/2019, Momoh was alleged to have laundered funds estimated at over N2 billion, using her companies, Blaid Construction and Blaid Farms.

Momoh was also accused of refusing to honour ICPC investigators’ invitation.

Azuka Agozi was also alleged to have, while serving as the Company Secretary of Energopol Nig Ltd, reneged in 2016 on her pledge to provide ICPC’s investigators with documents relating to the contracts her company allegedly executed for PPMC and for which it was allegedly paid huge sums.

Stanbic IBTC was accused of failing to report suspicious transactions in the accounts of Blaid Construction and Blaid Farms to the relevant authorities as required by law.

While both women pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them, the court, acting under the provision of Section 478 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), recorded not guilty plea for the four companies.

The defendants’ counsel, Mr Ade Adedeji, SAN, urged the court to grant his clients bail on self recognition.

Adedeji particularly said Momoh was ready to stand trial and would not jump bail, because she was eager to clear her name and retrieved the assets, including bank accounts seized by the prosecution.

ICPC Counsel, Mr Osuobeni Akponisimingha, did not oppose the defendants’ request for bail, but urged the court to ensure that they were available for trial.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo admitted both Momoh to bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum and Azuka-Agozi to bail in the sum of N1 million with one surety each in sum.

Justice Taiwo ordered that one of Mrs Momoh’s sureties must be a Grade Level 15 officer with a Federal Government agency who must deposit a recent passport with the court.

The judge, who released the defendants to their lawyer, however, warned that should they fail to meet the bail conditions within 72 hours, the lawyer would be required to show cause why the defendants would not be remanded in custody.

Justice Taiwo adjourned trial until May 19.