$9.5m FIFA Grant To NFF: FCT High Court Resumes Case Hearing Tuesday

$9.5m FIFA Grant To NFF: FCT High Court Resumes Case Hearing Tuesday By Agunbiade Joseph A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama will on Tuesday, 30th April grant accelerated hearing to the case of the alleged diversion of $9.5 million and N1.3 million FIFA grant meant for football development by the Nigeria Football Federation officials, BSNSports.com.ng can report. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had dragged Nigeria Football Federation top officials to court to clear their names over alleged misappropriation of $9.5 million grant given to the Federation by FIFA in 2014. The case which was adjourned by the court will resume hearing on Tuesday, 30th April 2019 at the FCT High Court Maitama, Abuja. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lawyer , Mr. Steve Odiase, asked the court to adjourn the case to April 30 to enable the anti-graft agency amend the charges. The defendants , Christopher Andekin, Rajan Zaka,and Fadanari Mamza were dragged to the FCT court by the EFCC on five-count charge bordering on financial conspiracy, breach of trust and misappropriation. Odiase, had told the court that the three defendants conspired between January 8 and January 26, 2015, to commit the said offences contrary to Section 97 of Penal Code. Odiase alleged that Andekin was entrusted with the money meant for the development of football in Nigeria from the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA). He said that Andekin, allegedly diverted N1.3 million from the NFF domiciliary account with Zenith Bank, an act that is contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code. He further alleged that Zaka on his part, fraudulently diverted $7.2 million grant from FIFA for development of football in Nigeria while Mamza diverted $2.3 million. The defendants all pleaded not guilty to the charges, and their counsel, Mr Arinze Egbo applied for their bail. The Judge, Justice Peter Affen upheld the administrative bail granted to them earlier by the EFCC. The grant ($9.5m) was the 2014 World Cup fund paid by FIFA to the NFF for the development of grassroots football across the country, but the present NFF Board in 2015 was alleged to have squandered the funds