AN Abuja High Court has remanded Philomina Chieshe and five other Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, officials over their involvement in the missing N35 million from sales of e-cards in Benue state.

She was arraigned alongside Samuel Umoru, Yakubu Jekada, Daniel Agbo, Priscilla Ogunsola, and Aliyu Yakubu. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, 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 the EFCC, pending the outcome of their bail application. He then adjourned until Monday June 3, 2019 for the hearing of their bail application.

The EFCC alleged that Chieshe, sales clerk, with JAMB told their registrar and his team that she could not account for N36 million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards.

They alleged that she claimed that the money was swallowed by a snake in Makurdi, Benue State capital.

According to the EFCC, in February 2018, Chieshe told JAMB registrar and his team that she could not account for N36 million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards.

She alleged that it was her housemaid that connived with another JAMB staff, to “spiritually” (through a snake) steal the money from the vault in the accounts office.

The EFCC said these contravened section 139 (a) of the Penal Code Law.

They pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

The prosecuting counsel, Ekene Iheanacho, prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of the trial and to remand the defendants in jail.

Iheanacho also admitted receipt of the bail applications filled by lawyers to the defendants and that he hasn’t read through because he was served today.

– May 31, 2019 @ 15:25 GMT |