NBC DG faces trial over N2.5bn FG grant | Nairalaw

The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Dr
Moddibbo Kawu, will appear before Justice F. O. Giwa of the Federal
High Court, Abuja on Wednesday over allegation of financial crime
worth N2.5bn.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission said on Monday in a statement signed by its
spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa, that Kawu would be tried alongside
the Chairman of Pinnacle Communications Limited, Mr Lucky Omoluwa,
and the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Mr Dipo
Onifade.

The commission said the amount misapplied by Kawu and others was
a seed grant meant for the digital switch-over programme of the
Federal Government.

ICPC said, “Kawu and others were meant to appear before the
court on March 12, 2019 but he failed to do so, citing ill-health
as a reason, thereby prompting Justice Giwa to order him to appear
in court on the adjourned date even if it is on a stretcher.

“The accused persons are facing a 12-count bordering on abuse of
office, money laundering and misleading a public officer with the
intent to defraud the Federal Government in contravention of
Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act,
2000.”

The commission said that the Presidency released the sum of
N10bn in 2016 to the Ministry of Information and Culture for the
digital switch-over programme, noting that a White Paper was issued
directing how the process should be executed but Kawu went against
the directive.

ICPC said, “Based on the guidelines provided by the White Paper,
two companies were nominated to handle the process, one of which
was ITS, an affiliate of the Nigerian Television Authority. N1.7bn
was released to the company as seed grant for the commencement of
the switch-over.

“It was alleged that Kawu fraudulently recommended Pinnacle
Communications Limited, a private company, to the Minister of
Information and Culture, for the release of N2.5bn against the
guidelines contained in the White Paper. As a result, the
commission filed charges against him and his accomplices.”