Bankole to be arraigned on 16-count charge

A 16-count charge, on Tuesday, was filed against the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, before a Federal High Court in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The charge of breach of the Public Procurement Act 2004 by the embattled ex-Speaker in the procurement of electronic gadgets while he held sway at the House of Representatives is said to be the first in the series of charges filed against him by the anti-graft agency.

Bankole is accused amongst others of inflating the cost of procuring 80 units of desktop computers, HP Compact DC 5700 at the rate of N330,000, instead of the prevailing price of N160,000.

He was also alleged to have procured 400 units of 40 inch Samsung Television sets at an inflated rate of N525,000 each sometime in May 2008 when the actual prevailing market value of the television set was N295,000 each; thereby committing an offence contrary to section 58 (4)(a) of the Public Procurement Act number 14 of 2007 and punishable under section 58 (5) of the Act.

He was also alleged to have rigged the bid process for the purchase of 2 units of Range Rover bullet proof SUVs with the intent to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Included also is the bid process for the procurement of 2 units of same specification of vehicles but without bullet proofs, as well as rigging the bid process for the procurement of 3 units of Mercedes Benz S-600 without following prescribed procedures as provided for in the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
Source