Alleged N8.5bn Fraud: Court Acquits Ex-NIMASA DG, Akpobolokemi, One Other
…Says Ex-JTF Commander, NIMASA Staff Have Case To Answer
Abdulazeez Abdulwahab
JUSTICE Ayokunle Faji of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday (Monday, 22 April 2024) discharged and acquitted former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr
Patrick Akpobolokemi of allegation of involvement in the money laundering charge preferred against him and three others.
Aside from Mr Akpobolokemi, the court also discharged and acquitted Josphine Otuaga of any culpability in the 22-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty-Seven Million, Five Hundred Eighty-Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Eight Naira, Fifty-Eight Kobo (N8, 537,586,798.58).
The court however held that a former Commander of the Joint Military Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (rtd.), and a staff member of NIMASA, Kime Engonzu, have a case to answer in the alleged N8.5bn money laundering case brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
One of the counts reads: “That you, Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu, and Josphine Otuaga, sometime in 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, with intent to defraud, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: conversion of the sum of Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty-Seven Million, Five Hundred Eighty-Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Eight Naira, Fifty-Eight Kobo (N8,537,586,798.58) property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, thereby prompting the commencement of their trial.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution called several witnesses and subsequently closed its case against the defendants.
However, the defendants, rather than open their defence, filed a no-case-submission.
Akpobolokemi had, in a no-case submission, filed by his lawyer, Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN) prayed the court for an acquittal without having him present a defence.
Ruling on the no-case submission on Monday, Justice Faji discharged and acquitted Akpobolokemi and Otuaga, the fourth defendant. He, however, ruled that Atewe, the second defendant, and Engonzu, the third defendant, should open their defence in counts 12 to 22 of the charge.
Eighteen-Eleven Media
