Confusion As Judge Returns Moro’s Case File Over NIS Recruitment Scam

The trial of former Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, and three others could not continue on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, as the trial judge, Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, disclosed that the case file had been sent back to the Chief Judge for re-assignment.

Justice Chikere made the disclosure after both the prosecution and defence counsels had announced their appearances in court.

She said:  “Mr Prosecutor, due to personal reasons, I have sent this case back to the Chief Judge for reassignment. When it is reassigned to another judge, hearing notices will be issued.”

Meanwhile, the prosecutor, Aliyu M. Yusuf, had earlier told the court that he had filed additional proof of evidence and was ready to present the amended charge.

Moro is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside one-time permanent secretary in the Ministry, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia; a deputy director in the Ministry, F. O Alayebami; one Mahmood Ahmadu (at large), and Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, a firm that was given the recruitment job, in the fatal Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment exercise in 2014.

They are alleged to have defrauded a total of 675,675 Nigerian job applicants to the tune of N675,675,000 representing N1000 per applicant through e-payment for the online recruitment exercise into the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, on March 17, 2013, an exercise which was carried out in a negligent manner that led to the death of scores of applicants in various centres across the country.

Moro and his co-accused persons had been remanded  in prison custody after their arraignment on Monday, February 29, 2016.

Justice Chikere, however, granted the embattled ex-minister bail on self-recognition at the last sitting on Thursday, March 3, 2016. [EFCC]