The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Calistus Obi

  • N136m fraud: Court to resume trial of ex-NIMASA D-G

    A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, adjourned until Sept. 26, 27 and 28, the continuation of trial of a former Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Calistus Obi, charged with an alleged N136 million fraud.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed an eight-count charge against Obi, who was a former Executive Director, and later, a former acting D-G of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

    He was charged alongside one Alu Dismas, who was an aide to a former D-G of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi.

    They had each pleaded not guilty to the charges and were admitted to bail in the sum of N5 million each, with sureties in like sum.

    Read also : Adeyeye describes Fayose’s 2000 jobs as scam

    On Tuesday, the case was adjourned to Sept. 26 for continuation of trial following a letter by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, informing the court of his absence as he was before the National Judicial Council.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun consequently adjourned the case until Sept. 26, 27 and 28, for continuation of trial.

    The EFCC had closed the case for the prosecution on Jan. 31, 2017 while the defence filed a no-case submission.
    The court had, however, dismissed the no-case submission on Feb. 21, 2017 and ordered the defence to open its case.

    In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offences on Aug. 5, 2014.

    According to the EFCC, they allegedly conspired to convert the money from NIMASA, with knowledge that same were proceeds of stealing.

    The offences contravene the provisions of Sections 15 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibitions (Amendment) Act, 2012.

  • Court dismisses ex-NIMASA DG’s no–case submission

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday dismissed a no-case submission made by a former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Calistus Obi.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun ordered him to open his defence.

    A no-case submission is a term whereby a defendant seeks acquittal without having to present a defence.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Obi last April on eight- count charge of converting N378, 810,000 from NIMASA.

    He was charged along with Dismass Alu Adoon, Grand Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment Limited.

    His lawyer, Mr. Wale Akoni (SAN), urged the court to hold that the prosecution did not make out a prima facie (obvious) case to secure the conviction.

    Counsel to the second accused, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), also urged the court to uphold the no-case submission of his client and discharge him.

    But, EFCC’s prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, objected to the no-case submissions, and urged the court to call upon the accused persons to enter their defence.

    Ruling, Justice Olatoregun held: “The central issue to consider having gone through the submissions on all sides is whether there is no legally admissible evidence linking the defendants with the commission of the offence of conversion of money belonging to NIMASA, or that the evidence has been discredited by cross examination, or so manifestly unreliable that no reasonable tribunal or court can act on it as establishing the criminal guilt of the defendant.

    “I cannot at this stage go into evaluation of the evidence before me or whether a particular document was wrongly admitted; the key question is whether those evidence can justifiably secure the conviction of the defendants.”

  • EFCC to court: Dismiss ex-NIMASA DG’s no-case submission

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss a no-case submission made by former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) acting Director-General, Calistus Obi.

    Obi was arraigned last April on eight –count charge of converting N378,810,000 from NIMASA.

    He was charged along with Dismass Alu Adoon, Grand Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment Limited.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola on Monday reserved till February 21 ruling on the no-case submission.

    Defence counsel, Mr. Wale Akoni (SAN), urged the court to hold that the prosecution did not establish a prima facie case to secure the conviction.

    He said:” The test is what are the essential elements of each of the offence? The test of the evidence is in the ingredient of the offence,” he said.

    Counsel to the second accused, Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), also urged the court to uphold the no case submission of his client and discharge him.

    He argued that the charges against his client were predicated mainly on conspiracy and conversion, adding that the prosecution has not established sufficient evidence in proving an agreement to commit the offence.

    EFCC’s prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, objected to the no-case submissions, and urged the court to call upon the accused to enter their defence.

     

  • Ex-NIMASA DG proposes plea bargain with EFCC

    Ex-NIMASA DG proposes plea bargain with EFCC

    A former Acting Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Haruna Jauro, Monday proposed to enter a plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The commission arraigned him at the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged N304.1million fraud.

    Jauro is among four ex-NIMASA chiefs charged with corruption-related offences.

    Others are Patrick Akpobolokemi, Calistus Obi and Temisan Omatseye, who was convicted.

    Obi, ex-NIMASA’s Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Service, took over from Akpobolokemi, who is facing five separate fraud charges.

    Obi was relieved of his duties less than a week later, and replaced by Jauro, who was Executive Director, Finance and Administration.

    Jauro was charged with Dr. Dauda Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Limited on 19 counts of converting N304.1 million belonging to NIMASA.

    EFCC said they conspired on January 6, 2014, to convert N156, 477,500 belonging to NIMASA, knowing the money was stolen.

    They also allegedly converted N38, 170,000 between June 3 and September 1, 2014, “knowing that the sums were proceeds of stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3).”

    EFCC said on May 30 and August 14, 2014, they converted N8, 500,000.00, property of NIMASA. The prosecution said they did so “knowing that the sums were proceeds of bribery”.

    The defendants had pleaded not guilty to all counts when they were arraigned, with EFCC opening its case.

    Trial was billed to resume Monday before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola, but defence counsel Babajide Koku (SAN) said his client had begun plea bargain talks with the prosecution.

    He told the judge that the defence took the decision Monday.

    “It (plea bargain decision) came up this morning. I discussed directly with my learned friend (prosecution counsel) this morning,” Koku said.

    EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo confirmed the development.

    He said: “I confirm the intention of the defence to enter a plea bargain with the prosecution.”

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola urged the parties to reach an agreement without delay.

    “By the time you come back, you would have filed the plea bargain agreement and I would have looked at it and evaluated it,” she said.

    The judge adjourned until November 21.

  • N378m theft: Witness reveals how ex-NIMASA D-G spent funds

    N378m theft: Witness reveals how ex-NIMASA D-G spent funds

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday heard that former acting Director-General of NIMASA, Calistus Obi, allegedly built a hotel in Asaba, using the agency’s funds.

    Obi, who was a former NIMASA Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Service, took over from Patrick Akpobolokemi, the immediate past DG of NIMASA, who is facing six separate charges of conversion and theft.

    He was charged alongside three companies – Dismass Alu Adoon Ltd, Grand Pact Ltd., and Global Sea Investment Ltd on eight counts bordering on conversion of funds to the tune of over N378 million from NIMASA.

    At Obi’s trial on Wednesday, a witness, who is an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Orji Chukwuma, said that the accused used NIMASA’s funds to build a hotel.

    He alleged that the money was taken from an account opened for NIMASA’s Technical Ratification Committee on Maritime Labour Congress.

    According to the witness, about N10million was paid to Seastroke International Ltd which was in charge of developing the hotel for Obi.

    He said that Obi also gave N1million to a church in Anambra, but its purpose was not disclosed.

    According to him, a company, Knight and Sheriff, was paid N10million, adding that the company’s account was operated by Obi’s Special Adviser (SA).

    “I was made to understand that the operator of the account was his SA who started using it to keep monies for the first accused (Obi),” the witness said.

    He said that two companies, into which NIMASA’s funds were paid, never had any business with the agency.

    The witness said that Obi made several payments, including to his wife, using NIMASA’s funds.

    “He did not give any explanations as to why these funds were withdrawn and he did not present any documents showing the utilisation of these funds,” the witness said.

    After listening to the witness, the court asked counsel to both parties to reach an agreement as to when it would be suitable for the next adjournment, and communicate back to the court.

  • NIMASA appoints Obi as acting DG

    NIMASA appoints Obi as acting DG

    The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Tuesday announced Mr Calistus Obi as the Acting Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the agency.

    Mr Isichei Osamgbi, the Deputy Director/Head of Public Relations of NIMASA, in a statement in Lagos said that the appointment followed the handing-over by Dr Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi to him.

    The statement recalled that the Federal Government had last week relieved Akpobolokemi of his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of the agency’

    He was directed to handover the property of the agency to the most senior officer there.

    The statement said that Obi was, until this appointment, the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services in the agency.

    It said that Obi had acquired over two decades of experience in the law practice as well as in the maritime industry.

    The statement said that Obi, born on May 1, 1964, hailed from Ihiala Local Government Area of Imo State and studied Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

    “After duly completing the mandatory Law School programme, he bagged a Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria,’’ the statement said.

    The statement said that Obi, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was called to the Bar in 1991.

    It said that Obi was also a member of the International Bar Association (IBA), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators as well as other professional associations.