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Tag: Suswam

  • We won’t release Suswam until he cooperates with us – DSS

    We won’t release Suswam until he cooperates with us – DSS

    The Department of State Services, DSS, on Wednesday said that it won’t release the former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam who is currently in their (DSS) custody because he is yet to give up the needed information that will facilitate his release.

    This was revealed on Wednesday In a statement by its spokesperson, Tony Opuiyo.

    The secret police said Suswam’s continued detention which had lasted for over a month was legal.

    Opuiyo said, “The case of former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, is typical.

    “The Service has continued to hold him in line with the dictates of the law – more so that he has not cooperated on the issues concerning the recovery of large cache of arms at his facilities.”

    DSS stressed that it has “valid detention warrants” to keep Suswam, adding that “he will be charged accordingly, once the investigations are concluded.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the secret police had in February 2017 arrested the former governor over allegations of fraud and illegal possession of arms.

    Operatives of the DSS had recovered some weapons from Suswam’s Abuja property during his arrest.

    Weapons recovered included, Glock pistol with two magazines and a total of 29 rounds of ammunition, Mini-Uzi with two magazines containing 10 rounds and four rounds respectively; forty-two (42) extra rounds of ammunition contained in a pack; and one AK-47 rifle.

    Other items recovered include, twenty-one Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and one (1) Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy; 23 luxury designer watches; and 45 keys to various exotic cars were also said to have been recovered from the property.

  • Court orders DSS to produce Suswam for arraignment

    Court orders DSS to produce Suswam for arraignment

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday ordered the Department of State Service (DSS) to produce former Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam in court on May 11 for his arraignment.

    The Federal Government had accused Suswam and two others of diverting N9.7 billion being part of funds from the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme.

    The fund was allegedly diverted between 2012 and 2015 while Suswam was the governor of the state.

    The other defendants facing the 32-count charge are the former Commissioner of Finance, Mr Omadachi Oklobia and former Accountant, Benue State Government House, Mrs Janet Aluga.

    The arraignment was, however, stalled following Suswam’s absence in court.

    Suswam and Oklobia are also standing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on different matter bordering on embezzlement of state funds.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Suswam is currently in the custody of the DSS over another matter bordering on an allegation of illegal arms possession.

    Mr Aminu Alilu, the prosecuting counsel, told the court that Suswam could not be served with the charge because he (Suswam) was being held by the DSS.

    “Efforts to serve him in accordance with Section 2 (3) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act failed, therefore we served his counsel in compliance with Section 379 (3) of the ACJA, instead,” he said

    Alilu further said the prosecution also made futile attempt to serve the ex-governor through the DSS.

    “We have a letter to that effect and the acknowledged copy by the office of the DSS,’’ he said.

    Mr Adedayo Adedeji, counsel to Suswam on other matters, said the prosecution misled the court to submit that Suswan refused to be served.

  • FG to arraign ex-Benue governor Suswam, 3 others Tuesday

    FG to arraign ex-Benue governor Suswam, 3 others Tuesday

    The Federal Government will on Tuesday arraign a former Governor of Benue State, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court over alleged diversion of N9.7 billion.

    Already, the case has been listed on the court’s cause list for arraignment.

    The former governor will be arraigned before the court on a 32-count fresh money laundering charges, alongside Omadachi Oklobia, his former Commissioner of Finance and Janet Aluga, former Accountant, Benue State Government House‎ Administration.

    ‎ The prosecution said that in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/48/2017, part of the money was meant for police reform and Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Federal Government, had on Monday, March 28, accused Suswam and two others of diverting the sum of N9.79bn, part of which was meant for police reform and Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P.

    The prosecution alleged that Suswam and others cornered the said funds between 2012 and 2015 while Suswam was the governor of Benue State.