Today, EFCC, arraigned Patience Owerema, Nwakoba N. Francisca and Okafor Kingsley before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on a 4-count charge bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office, forgery, impersonation and diversion of funds to the tune of N3.7m.
They allegedly conspired to divert the terminal benefit of the late Udemba Clement, a former employee of NITEL/MTEL and father to the petitioner, Udemba Emmanuel. Following the death of his father, Emmanuel had made efforts to collect the terminal benefits of his father to no avail.
He however found out that the money had been paid into a certain account opened by the accused persons in the name of his deceased father. When the charges were ready to them, the accused persons pleaded not guilty. Francisca, a nursing mother, was granted bail on compassionate grounds. Patience and Okafor were, however, ordered to be remanded in Kuje and Suleja Prisons, respectively.