A former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, was on Monday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for fraud and money laundering charges.
When the 24 counts charge brought against Oronsaye and other accused persons, including a firm were read to them before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution accused them of committing the procurement fraud in 2010 under the pretext of using the various sums of money, illegally withdrawn from the Federal Government’s account, for “biometric data capturing project”.
The offences were allegedly committed when Oronsaye was Head of Service between 2009 and 2010 and said to be contrary to provisions of section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and section 1(1) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other related offences Act.
