Just In: ICPC charges Maimuna Aliyu, rejected nominee, to court

Maimuna Aliyu, the rejected nominee to the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), has been charged to court for corruption.

A three-count charge of abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and criminal breach of trust was slammed against her on August 15 by the ICPC. 

On August 1, Aliyu, a former Executive Director of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, was announced as a nominee to the ICPC board, as part of 36 appointments made by Yemi Osinbajo, the then Acting President.

However, the ICIR exclusively reported that Aliyu — alongside Sa’ad Alanamu, another ICPC board appointee — were being investigated by the commission for alleged corruption in the region of N1billion.

While Alanamu was being investigated on corruption charges allegedly committed while he headed several institutions in Kwara State, Aliyu has had a longstanding case of abuse of office, misappropriation and diversion of public funds against her.

Charges were already being prepared against her by the ICPC in preparation to taking her to court when her name was announced as a member of the new board of the commission.

In addition to the ICPC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Police had investigated several corruption cases against Aliyu.

For example, in May, a police investigative report indicted her and recommended her for prosecution. The investigative report, dated May 31, 2017, and signed by Taiwo Oyewale, a Superintendent of Police, for the Deputy Commissioner of Police, IGP Monitoring Unit, said that Aliyu illegally converted to personal use a total of N58 million being proceeds of three plots of land belonging to her employers, Aso Savings and Loans.

The ICIR then confirmed that Aliyu made the new ICPC board in the first place because FG made the appointments without running security checks on the nominees.

Osinbajo subsequently “stepped down” the nomination of  Aliyu and Sa’ad Alanamu; on Thursday, the ICPC charged her to court.

Defending herself, Aliyu claimed that allegations of corruption against her were false and that they were being orchestrated by corrupt persons she exposed while serving as a director at the Aso Savings and Loans.

The charges against her, according to court documents, read:

“That you Mimuna Aliyu (f); on the 7th of December, 2012 or thereabout in Abuja, being the Executive Director [Retail] of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, Abuja at the time, used your said position to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself when you received the sum of about $360,000 (Three Hundred & Sixty Thousand Dollars) the equivalent of N57,000,000.00 (Fifty – Seven Million Naira) at the time being the amount for the sale of Plots Nos 2432; 2433; and 2434 all in Cadastral Zone B08, Jahi District, Abuja, property of Aso Savings and Loans Plc; from one Banagana Bashir on behalf of Vincent Mshelia and you failed to remit the said amount to Aso Savings and Loans Plc as required; 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 Maimuna Aliyu (f); a former Executive Director [Retail] of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, Abuja; on the 10th of January, 2017 or thereabout in Abuja, made false statements to the operative of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in the course of their official duties that Plots Nos 2432; 2433; and 2434 all in Cadastral Zone B08, Jahi District, Abuja, properties of ASo Savings & Loans PLc were sold to Banagana Bashir acting as agent for Vincent Mshelia of Subwang Global Integrated Limited, and that you handed over the sum of about $360,000 (Three Hundred & Sixty Thousand Dollars) the equivalent of N57,000,000.00 (Fifty – Seven Million Naira) being the amount for the sale of the said plots at the time, to one Bilkisu Rimi ( Company Secretary, Aso Savings & Loans Pls), statements you know to be false; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 25 (1) (a) & (b) of the Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Act 2000.

“That you Maimuna Aliyu (f); between the 7th of December, 2012 or thereabout in Abuja, being the Executive Director [Retail] of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, Abuja at the time, entrusted with the original copies of the offer in respect of Plots Nos 2432; 2433; and 2434 all in Cadastral Zone B08, Jahi District, Abuja, for purposes of selling same on behalf of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, did commit criminal breach of trust when you disposed of the said plots of land to Banagana Bashir acting as agent for Vincent Mshelia of Subwang Global Integrated limited and you dishonestly misappropriated the total sum of about $360,000 (Three Hundred & Sixty Thousand Dollars) the equivalent of N57,000,000.00 (Fifty – Seven Million Naira) at the time as you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 312 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of Northern Nigeria 1990.”

Source: ICIRNigeria