FG arraigns Tumsah brothers for allegedly failing to declare assets

Ibrahim Tumsah, a Director of Finance and Accounts in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, was on Wednesday arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged failure to declare his assets.
The director’s brother, Tijani Tumsah, an official of the ministry, was also arraigned over a similar allegation.
The Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property had brought the actions against the defendants.
The special panel that the two public servants had refused to declare their assets, even when their attentions were drawn to the lapse.
The prosecution said that the offences were contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (3) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act, 2004.
The presidential panel had on February 8, arraigned the Tumsah brothers before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The duo had pleaded not guilty to the criminal charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/4/2018.
However, in April, their trial was stalled as the former prosecutor, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), had applied to withdraw the charge.
Consequent upon that application, Dimgba struck out the charge.
Months after the initial two-count charge was struck out, the panel, led by Mr Obono Obla, re-listed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/78/2018.
The Tumsah brothers again pleaded not guilty to the fresh two-count charge before Justice Edward Ekwo.
Mr Celsus Ukpong had announced appearance for the presidential panel while Mr Abdul Mohammed represented the first defendant and Mr Bamikole Aduloju stood for the second defendant respectively.
The judge admitted the defendants to bail for N10 million each, with a surety each in like sum.
Also, the court ordered that the sureties must be owners of landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court.
He held that the title deeds of the landed properties must be duly verified by the court and the originals submitted to the Registrar of the court.
The judge also ordered that their travel documents be deposited with the Registrar of the court.
The judge then fixed the trial to run between January 15 and 18.