By Umar Dankano
Yola Criminal Area Court II has remanded the Education Secretary (E.S) of Mubi South local government Area, Mr.Jibrilla Babale and four others for allegedly diverting and selling 800 customised UNICEF school bags in Adamawa state.
According to the police First Information Report (FIR), the E.S and his accomplices convened and sold the 800 UNICEF branded bags meant for distribution free of charge to pupils in public schools in Mubi North and Mubi South local councils as an intervention from UNICEF in the state.
The Police prosecutor, Inspector Boyom Alex told the court at a sitting on Monday that the suspects were charged to court for criminal conspiracy, breach of official trust and receiving stolen property contrary to the provisions of Sections 60,302,307 and 312 of the Penal code law (2018) as amended.
Inspector Alex stated that a team of detectives attached to the state Intelligence Bureau of police command acting on a tip off apprehended the suspects in connection with the alleged crime on the 14th and 16th October,2021.
Continuing, Alex explained that the embattled ES diverted the 800 school bags and gave it to the UNICEF Distribution Cordinator, Mustapha Mohammed, who then sold part of it to Musa Mahmud of Mubi North at a settled price of N330.000.Only.
However on getting the bags, Musa Mahmud sold them to Mohammed Yahaya and Aliyu Mohammed at the sum of N420.000 knowing fully those bags were for public schools.
After hearing the contents of the FIR, all the suspects pleading not guilty to the charges giving their defence counsel, Barrister T.U. Danjuma to advanced his bail application to the court with the assurance that his client would not jump bail nor interfere with the ongoing investigation against them.
While objecting the plea for admission of bail application by the defence counsel, Prosecutor Alex said their release might jeopardise their further investigation insisting that police detectives are still closing ranks to arrest more parties to the case.
In his ruling, Presiding Judge, Hon. Musa Nuhu Garta ordered that the suspects be kept in prison facility, adjourning the case to 1st November, 2021 for commencement of hearing, noting that the bail application might be considered before the date.