JAMB’s missing N35m: Court remands woman charged with blaming snake

An FCT High Court Maitama, on Friday, remanded Philomina Chieshe and five other Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) officials, over their involvement in the missing N35 million from sales of JAMB e-card in Benue State.
She was arriagned alongside Samuel Umoru, Yakubu Jekada, Daniel Agbo, Priscilla Ogunsola, and Aliyu Yakubu.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) arraigned her and others on eight counts  bordering on refusal to account for the board’s money between 2014 to 2016.
Justice Peter Afen ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of EFCC,  pending the out come of their bail application.
He then adjourned until Monday June 3, 2019 for the hearing of their bail application.
EFCC alleged that Chieshe , sales clerk with JAMB, told their registrar and his team that she could not account for N36 million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards.
They alleged that she claimed that the money was swallowed by a snake in Makurdi, Benue State.
According to EFCC in February 2018, Chieshe told JAMB registrar and his team that she could not account for N36 million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards.
She alleged that it was her housemaid that connived with another JAMB staff, to “spiritually” (through a snake) steal the money from the vault in the accounts office.
EFCC said these contravened section 139 (a) of the Penal Code Law.
They pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Ekene Iheanacho, prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of trial and to remand the defendants in jail.
Iheanacho also admitted reciept of the bail applications filled by lawyers to defendants, he said he hasn’t read through because he was served today.