Justice Affem fixes October 18th for the arraignment of NFF director, Christopher Andekin over $9.5m fraud

Director in the Nigeria Football Federation, Christopher Andekin, and two other officials of the Federation who were arraigned on a 5-count charge of fraud involving the sum of $$9.5million scheduled for October 15, 2018 did not hold.

Andekin, who is the Director of Administration and Finance, was to be arraigned before Justice Peter Affem of the FCT High Court, Abuja alongside Rajan Zaka, a cashier and Jafaru Fadanari Mamza, Head, Finance and Account Department of the NFF.

$9,535,923.87, belonging to the Federation was allegedly sidetracked in 2015 to personal use. The money was given to NFF by the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, as grant for football development in Nigeria. It is also alleged that Andekin fraudulently diverted N1, 353,407.22 from the domiciliary account of the NFF domiciled in one of the new generation banks, without due process.

Particulars of one of the counts read: "That you, Christopher Andekin, being the Director of Admin and Finance of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on or about 8th day of January to 26th day of January 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja while being entrusted with dominion over money meant for the Development of Football in Nigeria, a grant from the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) to NFF fraudulently, diverted the sum of N1,353,407.22 from the NFF domiciliary account No. 5070407456 with the Zenith Bank into your personal use and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Cap 532 LFN 1990 and punishable under Section 312 of the same Code."

Another count reads: "That you, Rajan Zaka, being a cashier with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja while being entrusted with dominion over money meant for the Development of Football in Nigeria, a grant from the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) to NFF fraudulently, diverted the sum of $6,490,900.48 from the NFF domiciliary account No. 5070407456 with the Zenith Bank into your personal use and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311of the Penal Code Cap 532 LFN 1990 and punishable under Section 312 of the same Code."

When the case was called, though the defendants were present in court, they could not take their plea as counsel representing them informed the court that he was 'just' served with the charge, and asked the court for a date to enable him study the charge.

For some reasons, Justice Affem asked parties to come back on Thursday, October 18, 2018 for the arraignment.