N107 Million Scam: Ogbulafor Admits Receiving N2 Million To Campaign For PDP Post

A  former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Vincent Ogbulafor, who is facing fraud charges has told an Abuja High Court that he collected the sum of N2 million from one of his associates as donation for his party’s campaign fund

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is prosecuting Mr. Ogbulafor, who was Minister of Special Duties, along with Emeka Ebilah, who was a member of the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC), and Jude Nwokoro, on a 17 count of conspiracy and award of fictitious contracts amounting to N107 million.

The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000.

At the resumed hearing, the first accused was put on the stand by his counsel and during interrogation, admitted knowing the second accused.
Mr. Ogbulafor told the court that the second accused, Mr Ebilah, who hails from his state, wrote a letter to him to appoint him into one of his boards when he (Ogbulafor) was made minister in 1999.

He also told the court he commented on the letter and gave it to his Personal Assistant at the time.

“I was not able to help Ebilah get appointed to one of my boards as he requested.

“So, when an opening came at the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC) I was able to get him appointed as the Secretary to the committee,’’ Mr. Ogbulafor said.

He also claimed not to have met the third accused, Mr. Nwokoro, prior to their meeting in court.

Mr. Ogbulafor said Mr. Ebilah gave him N2 million on October 25, 2001 in connection with his candidacy for the post of secretary to the PDP.

He explained that prior to the donation, he had resigned his position as a minister under the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration on October 8, 2001.

While stating that he did not know if the money was part of proceeds from the alleged unexecuted contracts, he added that he did not play any role in the verification of the contract because he was not a member of NEIC.

The court had earlier dismissed a “no case submission’’ filed by Mr. Ogbulafor, in which he argued that the prosecution’s evidence was not sufficient to warrant the trial.

However, Justice Ishaq Bello, in his ruling, held that the prosecution established a prima facie case against the accused to warrant the trial.

Justice Bello said: “It is my considered view that on the totality of the evidence, the prosecution established a prima facie case to warrant the accused to open his defence.

“The no-case submission failed and is accordingly dismissed,’’ the judge said.

Justice Bello has adjourned the case to 6 June for cross examination and continuation of defence.