N5.8bn SLEAZE: Sirika brothers bar from int’l travel as trial begins Tuesday, 28th May
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Mr Hadi Abubakar Sirika, former Minister of Aviation & Aerospace Development, a Buharist for life, facing probity test
Having pleaded not guilty on Thursday, 23rd May 2024 to the alleged N5.8bn sleaze before Justice Suleiman Belgore, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Garki, Abuja, as charged by the Federal Government, FG, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the court in league with counsels to the accused and the prosecutor’s, agreed that trial in the ten-count amended charges take off on Tuesday 28th, and Wednesday 29th May 2024.
The EFCC, had charged former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his brother, Ahmad Sirika, and two companies – Engiros Nigeria Limited, and Samahah Integrated Investment Limited with sleaze bordering on contract fraud to the tune of N5,802,254,573.55 (Five Billion Eight Hundred and Two Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Four Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy Three Naira, Fifty Five Kobo).
The sum is said to be for the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development’s several projects from the former minister, to Engiros Nigeria Limited, owned by Sirika’s younger brother, Engr Ahmad Abubakar.
According to the details in the freshly amended charges, the EFCC alleged that Sirika, “while being the Minister of Aviation, on or about August 18, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use your position to confer an unfair advantage upon Engiros Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego, Ahmad Abubakar Sirika, is your biological brother, by using your position to influence the award to him, the contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,345,586,500.00.”
According to the charge sheet, Sirika’s alleged action violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and was punishable under the same section.
Another count charged thus, “on or about November 3, 2022, in Abuja,” Sirika used his position “to confer unfair advantage upon Engiros Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego, Ahmad Abubakar Sirika, is your biological brother, by using your position to influence the award to him, the contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3,811,497,685.00.”
Hadi Sirika was also accused in another count, of corruptly awarding a N615,195,275.00 contract to his brother, to procure and install lift and air conditioners and power generators for the Aviation House in Abuja.
The Prosecutor alleged that Engr Ahmad Sirika, between August 2022 and May 2023 in Abuja, “had possession of an aggregate sum of N2,337, 840,674.16, which sum you knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of Hadi Abubakar Sirika, who was the Minister of Aviation at the time.”
PLEA
To all these charges, the two accused pleaded not guilty hence, the court adjourned and scheduled the trial to commence in full throttle next week Tuesday and Wednesday, 28th and 29th May 2024.
BAIL CONDITIONALITIES
On the issue of bail, Justice Belgore granted Hadi Sirika, the erstwhile aviation minister bail, in the sum of a hundred million naira, (N100,000,000.00K), and two sureties in the like sum. The court required that One of the sureties must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court also admitted that the second defendant, Ahmad Sirika, should be granted bail under the same terms and conditions.
However, Justice Belgore granted bail to the former Minister in the sum of one hundred million naira (₦100,000,000) and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
Albeit, the court added that Hadi Sirika must not embark on any form of travel outside Nigeria without formally requesting of permission in writing to the court to obtain a release.
Also, the Court admitted that the second defendant, Ahmad Sirika, should be granted bail under the same terms and conditions as that of the former minister.
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