EFCC Arraigns Gombe Worker For Shredding Investigation Papers

The Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on June 11, 2024 arraigned one Usman Mallam before Justice TG Ringim of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe for allegedly tearing EFCC’s official Investigation Activities’ letters and obstructing the commission’s investigation.

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.

The charge against Mallam reads, “That you, Usman Mallam on or about 26th day of February 2024 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while the officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC were carrying out an investigation activity involving an alleged economic and financial crime, did willfully obstruct the said investigation by tearing the EFCC formal letters of investigation activities dated January 1, 2024 and February 21, 2024 respectively” and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 38 (1) and punishable under Section 38 (2) (a) and (b) of the Economic and financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act”.

Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge, prompting the prosecution counsel, AM Labaran to declare that the defendant has put himself to trial and asked for a date for trial.

However, counsel to the defendant, SS Usman said they had a bail application dated July 11, 2024, 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 and one surety in like sum.

The surety according to the judge should be a director in a government establishment or a private company with a capital worth of not less than N10,000,000 million.

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.