Former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor will today know whether or not he will face trial over an alleged N200m fraud committed when he was Minister of Special Duties in the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
Ogbulafor was arraigned since June 21, 2010 before Justice Ishaq Bello of Abuja High Court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on 17-count charge bordering on abuse of his position as the Head of National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC), established by the Federal Government to verify debts owed local contractors.
Specifically, the ex-PDP boss was alleged to have conspired with two others, Mr. Emeka Ebilah and Mr. Jude Nwokoro, and defrauded the Federal Government to the tune of N2.2billion in 2001.
ICPC claimed that Ogbulafor used his position as the head of National Economic Intelligence Committee set-up to verify debts owed local contractors, to okay as genuine, several forged documents, which were relied upon to certify that three bogus companies, executed jobs worth over N2.2billion.
In the charge sheet, the anti-graft agency listed the three fake companies allegedly floated in 2001 to siphon N82.6m, N11.5m and N6.2m respectively, as, Henrichiko Nig Ltd, DHL Consultants and Chekwas Industries.
ICPC further told the court that that Ogbulafor collected kickbacks of N2m and N28m from the second and third accused persons Messrs. Ebulah and Chris Nwoke, respectively to facilitate the release of the funds.
However, Chief Ogbulafor denied any involvement in the said allegations and consequently, asked Justice Bello to dismiss those criminal charges against him.
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