EFCC arraigns woman and 5 others who claimed snake swallowed N35m JAMB money

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraign a controversial official of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Philomina Chieshe and 5 others before Justice Peter Afen of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, following her alleged involvement in the N35million fraud.

Apart from Philomena, the other five officials of JAMB in the matter are Samuel Umoru, Yakubu Jekada, Daniel Agbo, Priscilla Ogunsola, and Aliyu Yakubu. Philomena, who is a JAMB official in Benue State, became popular when she made an outlandish claim that a mysterious snake swallowed about N35million cash arising from sale of e-JAMB cards in the state.

The controversial JAMB official is being prosecuted by the EFCC on an eight-count charge, following her refusal to furnish the management of JAMB the true information on the financial status of JAMB e-cards supplied to the Benue Zonal office between 2014 and 2016.

Instead of Philomena rendering account on the said N35million, being the shortfall of un-remmitted e-JAMB cards in connivance with other officials, she claimed that a mysterious snake swallowed the money.

According to the EFCC, Philomena ought to know that the shortfall in the un-remitted e-JAMB cards, which she claimed disappeared as a result of manipulation from the kingdom of darkness is false and untenable before the law.

The commission added that the action of Philomena is contrary to section 139 (a) of the Penal Code Law.

Meanwhile, the commission has also arraigned another JAMB official, Labaran Tanko, on Tuesday while the defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence.