The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, arraigned a former Minister of Power and Steel Development, Olu Agunloye before Justice J.O Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja.
The EFCC is prosecuting Agunloye on a seven -count charge, following his alleged involvement in fraudulent award of contract and official corruption.
One of the count reads: “That you, Olu Agunloye, whilst being the Minister of Power and Steel on or about the 22nd of May, 2003 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court awarded a contract, titled “Construction of 3,960mw Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on a Build, Operate and Transfer Basis” to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(4) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Another count reads: “That you, Olu Agunloye, on or about the 10th of August, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, corruptly received the sum of N3.6million through your Guaranty Trust Bank account No.0022530926 from Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) and Leno Adesanya for having conveyed the “approval of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the construction of the 3,960 megawatts Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station” in favour of SPTCL which you did whilst serving as the Minister of Power and Steel without the approval of the Federal Executive Council contrary to and punishable under Section 8(1)(a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
But when the charge was read to Agunloye, he pleaded “not guilty” to the offence.
The prosecuting EFCC lawyer, Abba Muhammed, prayed the court for a trial date and to remand Agunloye in a Correctional Centre.
But the defence lawyer, Adola Adedipe (SAN), informed the court that he has filed a bail application for his client and urged the court to grant him bail and commit him to the custody of the EFCC.
But Justice Onwuegbuzie in his short ruling, directed that Agunloye should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre and fixed Thursday for the hearing of the bail application.
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