The Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday, sentenced and convicted former Accountant, Pensions Account, Office of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Garba Abdullahi Tahir, also known as Tahir Garba, to 21 years imprisonment for stealing N26.1million meant for pensioners.
Abdullahi was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a seven count amended charge that bordered on money laundering.
Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren said in a statement on Friday that the Garba was convicted on all seven charges.
Count four of the charges reads, “That you, Garba Abdullahi Tahir, (also known as Tahir Garba) on or about the 18th of January, 2010 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N3,000,000.00 (Three Million Naira) into cash by Ecobank cheque no. 92 drawn in favour of one Sani Abdullahi through your bank account with Ecobank Plc which sum represented part of the proceeds of crime of criminal breach of trust committed by you in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation with the aim of concealing its illicit origin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act.
“Count six reads, “That you Garba Abdullahi Tahir (also known as Tahir Garba on or about the 12th April, 2010 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N7,800,000.00 (Seven Million and Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) into a bank draft or Manager’s Cheque in favour of CHARO Bureau de Change Ltd through your bank account with Ecobank Plc, which sum represented part of the proceeds of crime of criminal breach of trust committed by you in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation with the aim of concealing its illicit origin and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act
“Count seven read reads, “That you, Garba Abdullahi Tahir (Also known as Tahir Garba) on or about the 17 of May, 2010 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N7,500,000.00 (Seven Million and Five Hundred Thousand Naira) into a bank draft or Manager’s Cheque in favour of CHARO Bureau de Change Ltd through your bank account with Ecobank Plc which sum represented part of the proceeds of crime of criminal breach of trust committed by you in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation with the aim of concealing its illicit origin and you thereby committed an offence”.
He stated that the convict had pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges upon arraignment adding that the case went into trial with the prosecution calling several witnesses and tendering documents in evidence.
Uwujaren said the Justice Inyang Ekwo, while delivering judgment, said the prosecution had proved the case against the defendant and convicted him on all seven charges.
“The judge sentenced the defendant to three years imprisonment on each of the seven counts. The sentences are however to run concurrently, from April 3, 2023.
“The case is a part of the billion naira pension fraud in the Office of the Head of Service of Federation, for which a number of civil servants were investigated over ten years ago, and charged to court by the EFCC.” The statement said.
