An FCT High Court Maitama has remanded an official of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Philomena Chieshe, and five others over alleged N35 million fraud.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the JAMB workers on Friday over their involvement in the missing N35 million from sales of JAMB e-card in Benue State.
They were arraigned on eight counts bordering on refusal to account for the board’s money from 2014 to 2016.
The others involved alongside Chieshe are Samuel Umoru, Yakubu Jekada, Daniel Agbo, Priscilla Ogunsola, and Aliyu Yakubu.
They all denied the charges.
According to EFCC, Chieshe claimed that a snake swallowed the money in question.
She alleged that her housemaid connived with another JAMB staff, to “spiritually” (through a snake) steal the money from the vault in the accounts office.
EFCC said the alleged offence contravened section 139 (a) of the Penal Code Law.
The prosecutor, Ekene Iheanacho, prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of trial and to remand the defendants in jail.
Justice Peter Afen ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody, pending the outcome of their bail applications.
The case was adjourned until Monday for hearing of their bail applications.
