At least two civil servants have been arraigned for allegedly diverting funds released by the World Bank for the rehabilitation of schools affected by insurgency in Adamawa State.

Specifically, the officials identified as Mr. Popoona Samuel and Mr. Arama Davies Gyandi, were arraigned at the Federal High Court sitting in Yola by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

The spokesman of the ICPC, Demola Bakare, told journalists on Friday that the duo were taken to court on Wednesday before Justice Tijjani G. Ringin on a four-count charge.

According to Bakare, the charges bordered on money laundering and retention or conversion of proceeds of an unlawful act.

Both Samuel and Gyandi reportedly served as officers under the State Education Investment Project in the Office of the Accountant General of Adamawa State until 2020.

The ICPC spokesman explained that investigations revealed they allegedly conspired to launder funds belonging to the School-Based Management Committees of primary schools in the state.

He said counts one and two of the charges read thus: “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.”

He told journalists that the defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges when read to them.

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

“Counsel to the defendants, S.J. Wugira, on his part, moved an application for bail for his clients, which the court granted under the following terms:

“Bail bond of N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) with one surety in like sum. The 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 N10,000,000.

“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.”

The anti-graft agency officers said the case was, thereafter, adjourned to 22nd October 2025 for the commencement of the trial. (Daily Trust)