The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Managing Director/Chief Executive Ibrahim Abdulsalam at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing N2.8 billion.
He was charged with Nnamdi Udoh (still at large), Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche, Joy Ayodele Adegorite, Randville Investment Ltd and Multeng Travels and Tours Ltd.
They were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi on 21-count charge.
EFCC said on August 19, 2013, the defendants, with intent to defraud, conspired among themselves to induce NAMA to deliver the sum of N2,847,523,975.00 to Delosa Ltd, Air Sea Delivery Ltd and Sea Schedules Systems Ltd under the pretense that the money represented the cost of clearing NAMA’s consignments.
The alleged offence is contrary to section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3).
The prosecution said the defendants conspired to deliver various amounts to Delosa Limited on different dates under the pretence that they were payment for clearing NAMA’s consignment.
EFCC said they paid the firm N274,021,452.00 between January 31 and April 15, 2013; and between August 19 and December 31, 2013, they paid it N151,136,320.
The defendants also paid the firm N403,485,057.70 between January 15 and December 17, 2014, as well as N285,906,834.10 between January 14 and September 16, 2015, the prosecution alleged.
EFCC said the defendants induced NAMA to pay Air Sea Delivery Ltd the sum of N409,010,344.70 under the pretense it represented the cost of clearing NAMA’s goods. EFCC said they also paid Air Sea N230, 585,636.20 between January 14 and September 16.
According to the agency, another company, Sea Schedules System Ltd, got N227, 634,567.20 between September 11 and December 15, 2014, under the pretence that it cleared NAMA’s consignments. Also between January 14 and September 3, the defendants paid Sea Schedules the sum of N314,378,212.80.
The defendants were accused of conspiring among themselves on January 2, 2013 to convert N858,507, 609.56, property of NAMA, which was derived from stealing, contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
Between January 2 and December 17, 2013, the defendants allegedly converted N191,616, 651.56 belonging to NAMA to themselves.
EFCC said they allegedly converted N728,870,158 between 2013 and 2015.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Their lawyers, who said they had filed bail applications, prayed the court to remand the suspects in EFCC’s custody, where they had been held since February 12.
But EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo, who said he needed to respond to the motions for bail, urged the court to remand the defendants in prison custody.
“EFCC’s detention facilities are overstretched. Arrests are being made every day. EFCC cannot afford to keep more detainees,” he said.
The commission listed an initial 20 witnesses, including representatives of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Skye Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc and First Bank Plc, who will testify during the trial.
Justice Kuewumi adjourned until April 12 for commencement of trial.