Digital Switch-Over: You must defend yourself, court tells NBC DG
The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Modibbo Kawu, who is currently on suspension have been ordered by a Federal High Court in Abuja to clear his involvement in the N2.5 billion Digital Switch – Over (DSO) fraud.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had charged Kawu, the late Chairman of Pinnacle Communications Limited, Lucky Omoluwa, an the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Dipo Onifade, before Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa for misappropriating the seed grant released to NBC by the Federal Government for the DSO project.
The Spokesperson of ICPC, Rasheedat Okoduwa in a statement she signed, said the commission had in a 12-count charge, accused them of abuse of office, money laundering and misleading a public officer with the intent to defraud the federal government, in contravention of Section 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of the same law.
But Kawu, through his counsel, A. U. Mustapha (SAN) had submitted before the court in February 2020 that he had no case to answer in the alleged fraud, praying the court to absolve him of the charge brought against him by ICPC.
Justice Ogunbanjo-Giwa had fixed the ruling on the no-case submission by Kawu on 26th March 2020, but for the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which led to the closure of courts.
According to Okoduwa, the court, at the rescheduled sitting on the 3rd of June, 2020, said that ICPC had established a prima facie against Kawu, Onifade and Pinnacle Communications Limited and ruled that they had a case to answer.
“However, Omoluwa was struck out from the charge after his counsel, Alex Iziyon (SAN) told the court of his death from heart failure, in February this year”
“The trial judge, before adjourning the matter to 1st, 2nd and 3rd July 2020, also granted the prayers of ICPC to amend the charge by removing the name of the late Omoluwa.” She added.
