By Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin
A witness, Abdulkareem Ismail, on Wednesday told a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital, that former scholarship board chairperson Hajia Fatimoh Yusuf allegedly forged 336 students’ signatures to commit fraud.
The Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on January 15, 2020, arraigned Hajia Yusuf, the board’s Executive Secretary Fatai Lamidi and an accountant, Stephen Ajewole, on a seven-count charge of bursary fraud to the tune of N50 million.
Ismail, a prosecution witness and a former president of the National Association of Kwara State Students at Sokoto State Polytechnic, alleged that only 50 Kwara State students at the polytechnic benefited from the controversial bursary award while officials of the scholarship board claimed they paid for 336 students.
Ismail said: “My lord, on that day, when the scholarship board officials arrived, it was during a strike period. We did an head count and less than 200 students were on the ground. The board officials disqualified many people, saying only 50 students were eligible to collect the bursary.
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“I was among the 50 persons who benefited from the bursary. The board officials never asked us to append our signatures and I did not append my signature. I was invited by the EFCC last year. I was shown the last of beneficiaries submitted by the board and I discovered that there were many irregularities.”
The witness added: “In the list shown me at the EFCC office, 336 persons were paid, as claimed by the scholarship board. But the list was not a true reflection of what happened.
“The list submitted to the scholarship board officials prior to the payment contained more details of students’ bio data, but the one generated by the board was doctored.”
Presiding judge, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye, adjourned the matter till March 23 for continuation of trial.
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