A desk officer in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG) Gombe State is set to face trial for allegedly tearing investigation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Usman Mallam, who is in charge of responding to official correspondences in the office of the SSG, was arraigned on a one – count charge of willful obstruction of investigation activities and tearing official letters before Justice TG Ringim of the Federal High Court, Gombe.
Justice Ringim remanded the defendant in Gombe State Correctional Service pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and adjourned the case to July 9, 2024 for trial
The Gombe Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, on June 11, 2024 arraigned one Usman Mallam for allegedly tearing EFCC’s official Investigation Activities’ letters and obstructing the commission’s investigation before Justice TG Ringim of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, Gombe State.
Mallam, a desk officer in charge of responding to official correspondences in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG) Gombe State, was arraigned on a one – count charge of willful obstruction of investigation activities and tearing official documents of the EFCC.
Upon arraignment by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the one count charge, prompting the prosecution counsel AM Labaran to say, ” My Lord, the defendant has put himself to trial hence we shall be asking for a date for trial “.
However , counsel to the defendant, SS Usman said, ” My Lord, we have a bail application dated July 11, 2024 , we are asking the court to exercise its discretion and grant the defendant bail”
Justice Ringim thereafter granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10,000( Ten Million Naira) and one surety in like sum . The surety shall be a director in a government establishment or a private company with a capital worth of not less than N10,000,000.
In addition to the conditions, the Registrar of the court should verify the identity of the surety and both the surety and the defendant shall submit two passport photographs to the court .
Justice Ringim remanded the defendant in Gombe State Correctional Service pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and adjourned the case to July 9, 2024 for trial.
