A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, has fixed October 21, 2021, to commence trial against Director-General of Project Development Institute, PRODA, Enugu, Charles Nkemdirim Agulanna.
The trial judge, Justice Buba Ibrahim gave the date shortly after his arraignment for allegedly committing procurement fraud by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
According to ICPC, Agulanna, sometime in August 2017 committed procurement fraud by awarding a contract for the revaluation of land belonging to the institute in the sum of N23,500,037.50 to T.O. Thomas & Co.
The anti-graft agency said the company was not a registered surveyor/valuer and did not submit any Memorandum of Understanding with any registered surveyor/valuer in its tender bid.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson of ICPC, Azuka Ogugua, said the offence was contrary to Section 58(4)(b) and punishable under section 58(5) of the Public Procurement Act 2007.
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When the one count charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty.
The defence counsel, Mr Geoffrey Joshua, who had earlier submitted a written bail application, prayed the court to grant his client bail, stating that his client was a man of credible personality that would not jump bail.
The ICPC counsel, Mr. O.J. Ochigbo, who did not oppose the bail application urged the court to grant him bail with stringent conditions.
Justice Ibrahim, therefore, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of five million naira and two reliable sureties in the like sum.
The judge also asked the defendant and his sureties to submit two passport photographs each to the court.
