By Editor
Mr. Jinga Mayo, the Executive Secretary of the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board has been arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for embezzling funds meant for the committee members of the Adamawa State Christian Pilgrims Board.
The spokesperson for the ICPC, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, in a statement said Mayo was arraigned before Justice Nathan Musa of the High Court 1 in Yola, Adamawa State on three counts bordering on stealing. He was charged for making a false claim on the sum of N69.2million he received to pay the committee members for the 2016 pilgrimage to Israel. The ICPC said while Mayo did not pay the money to the committee members, he allegedly returned duly signed payment vouchers and acknowledgement receipts supposedly by each member of the committee.
The commission said the action was contrary to, and punishable under Section 16 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The added, “The accused was also charged for conferring corrupt advantage upon himself contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and also for making a false statement to an officer of the ICPC contrary to Section 25 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
However, Mayo has also pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the commission, while the prosecuting lawyer, Anas Kolo, prayed the court to fix a date for the actual trial.