The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday called its first witness in the N3.4bn fraud suit filed against the immediate-past Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpolobokemi, and nine others.
The accused were arraigned by the EFCC on 30 counts on December 3 last year before Justice Saliu Saidu of a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Akpobolokemi’s alleged accomplices are Capt. Ezekiel Agaba; Ekene Nwakuche; Felix Bob-Nabena; Capt. Warredi Enisouh; Governor Juan; Ugo Frederick and Timi Alari.
They were charged alongside two companies – Al-kenzo Limited and Penniel Engineering Services Limited.
The accused are being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly conspiring to convert to their personal use a sum of N3.4bn belonging to NIMASA.
They were said to have committed the alleged offence between December 2013 and July 2015.
The EFCC accused them of contravening Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition/Amendment) Act of 2012, and said they were liable to punishment under Section 15 (3).
In count one, Akpobolokemi and others allegedly “conspired among themselves to commit an offence, to wit: conversion of N1,151,214,000.00, property of NIMASA, money derived from stealing…”
The accused pleaded guilty to the charges.
The EFCC on Wednesday called its first witness, Teslim Adekunle, a Compliance officer at Zenith Bank Plc.
Led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Festus Keyamo, Adekunle told the court that between August and December 2015, Zenith Bank received several enquiries from the EFCC as regards the statement of account, opening package and Certificate of Identification of three companies – Interwind Limited, Margai Intergerated Limited and Grandpact Limited.
Further evidence could, however, not be taken from the witness as an attempt to tender a document on one Thlumba Enterprise Limited was opposed by Akpobolokemi’s lawyer, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), who pointed out that the document was only a photocopy.
An attempt to withdraw the document was also opposed by Nwobike.
Justice Saidu adjourned till Thursday to rule on the admissibility of the document, after which trial is expected to proceed. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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But why Nigerians are so heartless like this? How can one person will like to get this huge amount of money alone? for what and to where? Infact I feel like killing myself in this country. Please this type of people need to end up their rest of their life in jail.
ReplyDeleteYou need to watch this man slashing dollars in a burial ceremony too bad. God will deliver Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteThe heartless people of our time. Taking ownership of joint wealth. Hey!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat about you!if you are given such opportunity ll you be saint paul of our time don't just come around and start making an unhealthy comment that ppl ll think about your holier n thou
ReplyDeleteIf this is true these people are evil. If it is true because these people lie too much
ReplyDeleteAll of you re talking rubbish. What's 3.4 billion compared to oil blocs that is shared amongst the Yoruba and the Hausa, and they allow the region to be polluted and made not worth living. EFCC is a body without a head, hence it is without focus.
ReplyDeleteJustice should start from the people who for selfish reason allocated the resources of another people to themselves. APC and it cohort is just fighting a loss battle because it is self centred. So they let the sleeping dog lie