A dismissed officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Polycarp Andrew, has been arraigned before Justice A. Bello of the Kaduna State High Court over the alleged theft of N22 million belonging to the anti-graft agency.
Andrew, who once served as the exhibit keeper at the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, is facing a six-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and theft of exhibits under his custody.
The former officer was arrested in Taraba State after months on the run, following allegations that he stole more than N22 million in cash exhibits from the agency’s vault and absconded when investigations linked him to the missing funds.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Andrew pleaded not guilty to all six charges. The EFCC’s counsel, H. M. Mohammed, informed the court that the prosecution was ready to open its case with two witnesses — an EFCC officer and an official from Opay Bank — expected to testify.
However, the defence counsel, D. B. Kwajafa, objected to the commencement of the trial, arguing that the defence was not adequately prepared.
He told the court that he had just received a flash drive containing a video of the defendant’s extra-judicial statement and needed time to review its contents.
“The defendant is entitled to a fair hearing and adequate time to prepare his defence. We only recently received vital materials from the prosecution and must study them thoroughly,” Kwajafa submitted.
In response, the EFCC’s lawyer countered the request for adjournment, insisting that the flash drive was irrelevant to the commencement of trial at this stage.
After listening to both parties, Justice Bello adjourned the matter till December 11, 2025, for hearing.
The EFCC had earlier dismissed Andrew from service following internal disciplinary procedures after the alleged theft was uncovered. The agency said the case was part of its ongoing efforts to rid the commission of corrupt elements undermining its operations.
If found guilty, Andrew could face a lengthy prison term under Nigeria’s Criminal Code for breach of trust and theft by a public officer.
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