From Godwin Tsa Abuja
Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his daughter, and two others were, yesterday, docked before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over alleged fraud involving the sum of N4.135 billion.
Sirika was arraigned alongside his daughter, Fatima, his son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma, and a firm –Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
The defendants, who pleaded not guilty to the offence, were, however, granted bail in the sum of N400 million each with two sureties. The court said the sureties must have landed properties in Abuja and, also, responsible citizens.
In addition, the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means. The court also restricted the defendants from travelling abroad without its permission.
Justice Slyvanus Oriji ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody if they failed to meet their bail conditions.
They were charged for alleged consultancy contract fraud for Nigerian Air (N1,326,731,670.97); alleged corruption related to the contract for Apron Extension at Katsina Airport (N1,498,300,750.00); and alleged gratification (N1,310,142,051.16). The prosecution said the alleged fraudulent acts were committed by the suspects between April 2022 and March 2023.
The anti-graft commission said all the offences are contrary to Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, and Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same sections.
The anti-graft agency accused Sirika of conferring undue advantage on some entities between April 2022 and March 2023 in Abuja. EFCC alleged that Sirika abused his office by awarding a N1.3 billion consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air start-up to Tianero Nigeria Limited. The charge noted, Sirika violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. And that he was liable to punishment under the same section.
The charges before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are as follows: “That you – Hadi Abubakar Sirika – while being the minister of aviation between April 2022 and March 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Tianaero Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego, Prof. Gabriel Tilmann, is your associate by using your position to influence the award to them, the consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extension of same for the sum of N1,326,731,670.97 and you, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under the same section.
That you – Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation on or about August 16, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Limited whose alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma, are your daughter and son-in-law, respectively, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport, for the sum of N1,498,300,750.00, and you, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
“That you, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the minister of aviation, and in such capacity as a public officer on or about 18th August, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, entrusted with certain property to wit the sum of N1,498,300,750.00, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport, to and for the benefit of Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego are Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma, your daughter and son-in-law, respectively, and you, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.
“That you – Hadi Abubakar Sirika – while being the minister of aviation, Fatima Hadi Sirika, while being a public servant and an employee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, and Jalal Sule Hamma, while being a public servant and an employee of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, on or about 18th August 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did knowingly hold indirectly private interests in the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750 00, awarded to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego are Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma, which contract was awarded on account of public service and, you, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.”
The EFCC, in April, took the ex-aviation minister into custody and grilled him for days. The anti-graft agency then slammed a six-count charge on Hadi Sirika, his daughter, and two others. The EFCC said his actions were contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
In another count, EFCC alleged that on or about August 18, 2022 in Abuja, Sirika “did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma, are your daughter and son-in-law, respectively, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750.”