UCTH CMD, Six Others Arraigned For Fraud, Abuse Of Office

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By; VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar on Monday, arraigned the Chief medical director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Dr Thomas U. Agan, and six others in court for fraudulent practices and abuse of office among others.
He was arraigned over a five-count charge signed by Kayode Oni, Blessing Obasi, Shehu Usman and Esin-Otu Ebipade, for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Dr Agan, Offor Jonah Offor, Francis I. Otu, Okocha Anthony, Emmaneul Etta Nkim, Anchor Industrial and Construction Services Nigeria Limited and Basemark Energy Limited were the defendants in the suit.
Oni, a lawyer for the EFCC, had earlier  tendered a list of 26 exhibits to the court.
The charges read “that you, Prof Thomas Agan as Chief Medical Director University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Offor Jonah Offor, as Head of Works and Engineering University of Calabar Teaching hospital, Francis I. Otu as Chief Administrative Officer and Head of Legal Services University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Okocha Anthony, being the alter-ego of Anchor Industrial and Constructing Services Nigeria Limited, Emmanuel Etta Nkim being the alter-ego of Basemark Energy Nigeria, some time in the month of October, 2015 in Calabar, Cross River State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to bid for the purchase of one Advanced Life Support Ambulance Vehicle and one Toyota Bus 30-seater to Messrs Basemark Energy Nigeria Limited and Anchor Industrial and Construction Services Limited contrary to Section 58(4) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 and thereby committed an office punishable under Section 58(5) of the same Act.
“That you, Prof Thomas U. Agan as Chief Medical Director University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Offor Jonah Offor, as Head of Works and Engineering University Teaching Hospital, Francis I. Otu as Chief Administrative Officer and Head of Legal Services University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, sometime in the month of October, 2015 in Calabar, Cross River State within the jurisdiction of this Honourbale Court did abuse your official position to award contract in a fraudulent, collusive and corrupt manner and thereby committed an offence, contrary to section 58(4)(b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 Act and punishable under Section 58(5) of the same Act.
“That you, Okocha Anthony, being the alter-ego of Anchor Industrial and Construction Services Nigeria Limited, sometime in the month of October 2015 in Calabar, Cross River State within the jurisdiction of this Honourabe Court did obtained unfair advantage by enriching yourself when you fraudulent procured the supply of one Toyota Coaster bus 30 seaters and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 58(4)(c) of the Public Procurement Act and punishable under Section 58(6) of the same Act.
“That you, Emmanuel Etta Nkim being the alter-ego of Basemark Energy Nigeria Limited, sometime in the month of October 2015, in Calabar, Cross River State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did obtained unfair advantage by enriching yourself when you fraudulent procured the supply of one Advance Life Support Ambulance and thereby committed an offence, contrary to section 58(4)(c) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 Act and punishable under Section 58(6) of the same Act.”
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Mba Okweni, (SAN) in an oral application pleaded with the court to grant the accused bail, as the matter was bailable.
He also pleaded that the court should “stand down the matter to enable him file the formal application.”
But counsel to EFCC objected to the oral bail application saying, it formal so that they can respond to it accordingly.
Justice Inyang Ekwo declined the oral application for bail and adjourned the matter to May 8, 9, and 10 for hearing and ordered that the accused should be remanded in custody.
The defendants, it was gathered have been in EFCC custody since last weekend

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