The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday heard that a former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General, Patrick Akpobolokemi and others allegedly converted over N1 billion belonging to the agency to their personal use.
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigator, Chukwuma Orji, said the money was diverted through different companies and direct withdrawals.
He was testifying in Akpobolokemi’s trial before Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Akpobolokemi was charged alongside a former Executive Director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development at NIMASA, Captain Ezekiel Agaba, his aides Ekene Nwakuche and Governor Juan as well as Blockz and Stonz Limited, Kenzo Logistics Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistic Limited.
They were accused of converting N2,658,957,666 between December 23, 2013 and May 28 last year.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Orji said the commission received intelligence that there was “monumental fraud” perpetrated by Akpobolokemi using funds meant for a NIMASA committee on International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
He said: “NIMASA was appointed the designated ISPS agent in Nigeria on May 23, 2013. Akpobolokemi set up a committee on ISPS chaired by Captain Agaba.
“On October 2, 2013, Akpobolokemi applied to President Goodluck Jonathan through the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) headed by Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) for N1,123,400,000 for the implementation of ISPS Code.
“On November 4, 2013, President Jonathan through the NSA approved the money. The approval was signed by Dasuki. The fund was released to NIMASA.
“On January 3, 2014, the money was transferred from NIMASA to the Committee on ISPS account in which Agaba and others are signatories based on Akpobolokemi’s directive.
“Out of the sum slated for ISPS, the sum of N1,000,258,666 was fraudulently converted by the accused persons and their accomplices in a grand conspiracy,” the witness said.
The Nations
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