N525m Bribery scandal: Senate advises FCDA to suspend officer

The Senate has advised the Federal Capital Development Authority ( FCDA) to suspend one of its officers, Mr Ehimony Joshua, over an alleged N525million bribery scandal.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye gave the advice at an investigative hearing on Friday in Abuja.

Melaye said Joshua, who worked with the Legal Secretariat of the FCDA, should be suspended pending conclusion of the investigation.

He said Joshua was involved in N525 million bribery which he allegedly facilitate between FCDA and beneficiaries of 206 hectares in Kyami District along Airport Road Abuja.

According to the Senator, three out of 15 beneficiaries out of the 206 hectares have brought petitions before the committee.

Melaye said the people concerned alleged that Joshua refused to vacate litigation caveat placed on their plots of land as done to 12 others allotted land.

Dino said the petitioners also alleged that Joshua refused to vacate the litigation caveat was because they refused to pay N35 million bribe into two different dedicated bank accounts belonging to Joshua.

He said the litigation caveat as stated in the petition resulted from litigation against the 15 allotees by one Toni Asuni and Bashiru Dantata on behalf of Nigeria Polo Association.

“The petitioners said litigation caveats were not lifted on their allotted plots because of their refusal to pay the N35 million bribe demanded on behalf of the agency by Ehimony Joshua, Dino said.

Lady Laurel king, one of the petitioners said at the occasion that Joshua gave two bank account numbers into which the N35 million would be paid.

She said the transaction was done in a recorded telephone conversation with her Project Coordinator, Bishop David Angel on March 23, 2016

“We first refused to pay the money into the accounts.

“But after persistent pressure from the FCDA officer that the money must be paid before any lifting of the litigation caveat, I paid N5, 000 each into the two accounts through my secretary.

“This was on the June 19 this year as evidence to nail him,’’ she said.

Joshua, however, denied knowing the woman or having any fraudulent transaction with her project coordinator, David Angel.