ICPC arraigns two Adamawa civil servants for allegedly diverting World Bank Project funds

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned two civil servants – Popoona Samuel and Arama Davies Gyandi – before a Federal High Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State.

The two men were arraigned for allegedly diverting funds released by the World Bank for the rehabilitation of schools affected by insurgency within the state.

The two accused persons were brought on Wednesday before Honourable Justice Tijjani G. Ringin on four counts bordering on money laundering and retention/conversion of proceeds of an unlawful act.

A statement on Friday by Demola Bakare, the Director, Public Enlightenment and Education, who is also the spokesperson for the ICPC, said the duo of Samuel and Gyandi, while serving as officers under the State Education Investment Project in the Office of the Accountant General of Adamawa State in 2020, allegedly conspired to launder funds belonging to the School-Based Management Committees of primary schools in the state.

The charges read in part, “That you, Popoona Samuel (M) and Arama Davies Gyandi (M), sometime in the year 2020, at Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while serving as State Education Investment Project Officers in the Office of The Accountant General of Adamawa State, did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence of money laundering, to wit: you took possession of the total sum ofN2,400,000.00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) refunded by the School-Based Management Committee of Kwaja Primary School, Mubi South, which was paid into Zenith Bank Plc Account No: 2116268547 belonging to Popoona Samuel, out of which the sum of N1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira) was transferred to UBA Plc Account No: 2302541629 belonging to Arama Davies Gyandi, being part of the funds provided by the World Bank for the renovation of primary schools affected by insurgency in Adamawa, State when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit; corruption.

“That you, Popoona Samuel (M), sometime in the year 2020, at Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while serving as the State Education investment Project Officer in the Office of the Accountant General of Adamawa State, did take possession of the sum of N2,500,000.00 (Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) refunded by the School-Based Management Committee of Mutuku Primary School, Hong, from Unity Bank Plc Account No:0042530017 and the sum of N2,400,000.00 (Two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) refunded by the School-Based Management Committee of Kwaja Primary School, Mubi South, into your Zenith Bank Plc Account No:2116268547, being part of the funds provided by the World Bank for the renovation of primary schools affected by insurgency in Adamawa State, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit; corruption.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In view of the not guilty pleas entered by the defendants, counsel for the ICPC, Mr. T.S. Iorngee, applied to the court for a date for the commencement of trial.

Counsel for the defendants, S.J. Wugira, on his part moved an application for bail for his clients, which the court granted at  ₦5 million with one surety each in like sum.

The court said surety must be a Federal Public Servant or Adamawa State Government Public Servant on salary grade level 14 and above, or a traditional ruler not below the rank of District Head, or a Director of a company registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with a share capital of at least ₦10,000,000.

Additionally, the defendants and their surety are to provide two recent passport photographs, official means of identification, a valid registered phone number, an affidavit of means, a recommendation letter from the defendants’ counsel, utility bills, and a proper verification of the residential address of the surety by the court and the prosecution team.

The case was thereafter adjourned till October 22, 2025 for commencement of trial.