The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has preferred 40-count charge against 11 persons and four international organisations indicted in the ¤17.5m euros Siemens bribery scandal.
The accused, who were again summoned to the commission’s headquarters on Monday, will be arraigned before a Federal High Court, in Abuja, on Thursday.
The German firms listed for arraignment in the two separate charge sheets obtained by our correspondents are Siemens AG, Siemens Nigeria Limited, C. Woerman Nigeria Limited and C. Woerman AG.
Also to appear in court are a former Executive Director of the Power Holding Company Nigeria Plc, Shuaibu Maigada; and a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power and Steel, Mahmood Mohammed.
Others are a former General Manager (Finance), Nigeria Telecommunications Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Ossai; and a former Managing Director of Mtel, Edwin Momife.
Seven Germans, including former managing directors of Siemens, who had been declared wanted by the EFCC, are to be arraigned in absentia with two others, Ralf Henrich and Detlev Woerman.
The five former officials of Siemens believed to have fled to Germany are Eduard Seidel, Klaus-Peter Gilbert, Waclaw Lukowicz, Schroeter Jochen and Dirk Warner.
The EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi, told our correspondent that the commission was awaiting the extradition of the Germans to the country to face their charges.
He said, “We are expecting the German authority to extradite these people, who have been declared wanted in Nigeria. They remain wanted persons till they give themselves up for trial.
“We are waiting for Germany to act on the extradition request. These accused cannot evade the law for ever.”
In a five count charge, Siemens, C. Woerman, Siedel and others were accused of “collaborating in disguising the movement of N15m derived from an illegal act contrary to Section 17 of the Money Laundering Act.”
The EFCC also claimed that the suspects would also be prosecuted for “making cash payment exceeding N.5m to Siedel, saying the offence is contrary to Sections 1 and 15 (d) of the Money Laundering Act 2004 and punishable under Section 15 (2) (b) of the Act.”
Meanwhile, other accused are to face trial for offences ranging from corrupting the Nigerian officials and members of their families through purchase of air travel tickets, free medical expenses and hotel accommodation in German hospitals.
The prosecuting EFCC had accused the suspects of corrupting the Nigerian officials through purchase of air tickets for them to watch the 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany.
The foreigners are also to face trial for facilitating the evacuation of the expatriate staff of Siemens AG and Siemens Limited abroad in the course of investigation to evade prosecution.
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