The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned a former Deputy Director of Highways at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Augustine Olowoniyan, and a surveyor from the same ministry, Sulaiman Muhammed, over allegations of fraud amounting to N1.9 billion.
The duo appeared before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, where they faced a three-count charge related to the alleged misappropriation and diversion of public funds.
According to the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the funds in question were allocated for acquiring titles for federal roads across the country between March 4, 2019, and July 17, 2020. However, the defendants allegedly diverted the money for personal use.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, whilst serving as Deputy Director Highways, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and Project Coordinator for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads, and Suleiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, whilst serving as Surveyor of the Department of Highways and Planning, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, between March 4, 2019, and October 21, 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, used your office to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves by putting to your own use the sum of N807,053,000.00 despite being funds budgeted for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads Nationwide, thereby committing an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
Upon hearing the charges, both Olowoniyan and Muhammed pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution counsel Abba Muhammed (SAN) requested that the defendants be remanded in custody while awaiting trial and urged the court to set a trial date.
However, the defence counsel, J.K. Kolawole and A.S.U. Garba, representing the first and second defendants respectively, sought a short adjournment to allow time to file bail applications. They also requested that their clients remain in EFCC custody rather than be sent to a correctional facility.
Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case to April 3, 2025, for the hearing of the bail applications. In the meantime, he ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.