By Uzor Odigbo
The hearing of a case of criminal conspiracy, misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and cheating in violation of the Nigeria Penal Code preferred against the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Mr. Shehu Ibrahim Gusau, former technical director of the federation, Sunday Omotayo Adeleye and his company, Dynamic Sporting Solutions by the Inspector General of Police begins in court 14 of the Magistrate court, Wuse 2, Abuja.
According to the FIR (first information report) in the suit CR/99/2020 IGP Vs Ibrahim Shehu Gusau & two others, Gusau was alleged to have conspired with Adeleye and Dynamic Sporting Solution Nigeria Limited (Adeleye’s company) to cheat the AFN.
The charge sheet read that Gusau and the co-accused “fraudulently inducing PUMA based at Doha to pay the sum of $75,000.00 USD (seventy-five thousand US Dollars) into Account No. 0015296488 operated by Dynamic Sporting Solution Nig Ltd in the guise of sponsoring the federation sporting activities” which they then converted to their personal use.
The duo and Dynamic Sporting Solutions operated by Adeleye were granted bail with the presiding judge fixing Thursday for the commencment of hearing in the case.
This action was in reaction to a petition written by board members of the AFN to the IGP accusing Gusau and Adeleye of diverting into the account of Dynamic Sporting Solution Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Adeleye, then a board memeber of the AFN, monies paid by sportswear and equipment manufacturer (PUMA) as sponsorship fees to kit Nigerian track and field athletes.
In that petition filed by AFN board members, they alleged that Gusau and Adeleye signed the sponsorship deal without the knowledge of the board and most importantly the Secretary General who the federation’s constitution, article 8.7.2 says is the accounting officer of the AFN and must be privy to any and all financial decisions made by the federation.
Article 8.7.2 also made the Secretary General the custodian of all documents (which MUST include the PUMA contract), properties (which MUST also include all kits and equipments supplied by PUMA to the federation as part of its contractual obligations) and records.
PUMA had in a letter early last year (February 13, 2020) confirmed it signed an agreement on July 24, 2019 with Messrs Ibrahim Gusau and Sunday Adeleye to sponsor the Nigerian track and field team and that it has met all its financial obligations to the federation.
PUMA further stated in the letter that the duo nominated the bank account of Dynamic Sporting Solution to warehouse financial commitmets of the sponsor (PUMA).
“The amounts payable to the Athletic Federation of Nigeria have duly been paid into the nominated bank account of Dynamic Sporting Solutions Nigeria Limited as the authorized recipient,” PUMA wrote in the letter.
The contract was signed in July 2019 without the knowledge of majority of the board members and of course the chief administrative and financial head of the AFN, the Secretary General.