Cablegate: Icpc Reinstates Ministerial Corruption Charges,

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

040352Z Jun 04

UNCLAS ABUJA 000979

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM NI
SUBJECT: ICPC REINSTATES MINISTERIAL CORRUPTION CHARGES,
RE-ARRESTS THE ACCUSED

REF: ABUJA 974

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, NOT FOR PUBLICATION ON THE
INTERNET OR INTRANET.

1. (SBU) Soon after corruption charges were withdrawn against
the five senior GON ex-officials on June 2 (reftel), they
were re-arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices
Commission (ICPC). They were brought to the Abuja High Court
on June 3, and indicted on a new 19-count charge. All of
them pleaded not guilty and were bailed. The next hearing
was set for July 20th.

2. (SBU) The "new" 19 charges are not substantially different
from the previous 16-count charge. The accused were split
up, however, into three groups. Sacked Labor Minister
Husseini Akwanga, ex-Internal Affairs Ministry PermSec Ms.
Turie Akerele and former PDP National scribe Okwesilieze
Nwodo were charged in one group. Former Minister Mohammed
Shata will be tried separately, as will former Interior
Ministry Director Christopher Agidi. When asked to comment
on why the accused are divided into 3 groups, one defense
counsel opined that "probably the prosecution would like to
use some of them as principal witnesses."
CAMPBELL

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