By Ken Afor
Olu Agunloye, a former Minister of Power and Steel, was on Wednesday arraigned before Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on alleged charges of fraudulent award of contracts amounting to N6bn on Mambilla power project.
Mr. Agunloye, who was also the former Minister of State for Defence during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo entered a plea of not guilty in response to the charges preferred against him.
The New Diplomat reports that on account of this development, Justice Okoro declared that he deemed it necessary to remand the former minister in the Kuje Correctional center until a bail is granted.
TheNewDiplomat recalls that Agunloye has been at the forefront of the Mambilla project controversy, a project which has been dogged by high-wire intrigues and financial controversies.
It would be recalled that Agunloye was accused by Obasanjo of unlawfully granting the project’s contract without the approval of the Federal Executive Council.
However, in response, Agunloye had vehemently refuted the accusations, claiming he did no wrong.
