The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

  • Alleged N53.7 m fraud: Court orders interim forfeiture of Lagos Hotel

    Alleged N53.7 m fraud: Court orders interim forfeiture of Lagos Hotel

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the temporary forfeiture of Victoria East Park Hotel and Suites over alleged N53.7 million fraud.

    Justice Chuka Obiozor issued the forfeiture order of the hotel located on Igbogbo-Mayegun Road in Ikorodu, Lagos State, following
    an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The judge issued order for the EFCC to take over the hotel for 21 days to enable it to conclude its investigations on the alleged fraud.

    The EFCC had in its ex parte application on Tuesday told the court that it believed that the hotel was acquired with proceeds
    of fraud by Mr Fredrick Ebiesuwa.

    It avers that Ebiesuwa is believed to be the ring leader of fraudsters based in Ibadan.

    According to the commission, Ebiesuwa also has accomplices in Lagos.

    On Tuesday, Counsel to the EFCC, Mr Ayanfeoluwa Ogunsina, told the court that the anti-graft agency sought to take over the hotel
    to prevent the suspected fraudsters from disposing of it while investigation is still ongoing.

    Ogunsina said the EFCC was investigating Ebiesuwa and his accomplices, who were still at large, based on a petition it received from one Dunni Olagbegi.

    He said Olagbegi claimed to have been duped by the suspected fraudsters to the tune of N53.7 million.

    After listening to the arguments of the counsel, Justice Obiozor, in a short ruling, granted the application empowering the anti-graft agency to take over Victoria East Park Hotel and Suites for 21 days.

    The judge however, directed the anti-graft agency to paste the court’s order in a conspicuous place on the premises of the hotel.

    He adjourned further proceedings until Aug. 9.

     

  • Court declines to release Jonathan’s ex aide’s passport for foreign travel

    Court declines to release Jonathan’s ex aide’s passport for foreign travel

    A Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday declined to order the release of the international passport of a former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Justice Chuka Obiozor, a vacation judge, refused to entertain Dudafa’s application, saying he was not convinced that there was any emergency.

    Dudafa’s application urged the court to release his passport to enable him to travel abroad to treat a spinal cord injury.

    He allegedly sustained the injury while in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Dudafa, who is facing a N5.1billion fraud trial before Justice Mohammed Idris of the same court, deposited his passport in the court’s custody as part of his bail conditions.

    But he told Justice Obiozor that he needed to urgently travel abroad for a medical appointment and urged the court to release the passport to him.

    Defence counsel Kolawole Salami said the medical appointment was earlier scheduled for July 18 and 19, 2017 but had to be rescheduled for July 28, 2017 as Dudafa had yet to get access to his passport.

    He urged Justice Obiozor to hear and grant the application, saying his client’s health was at stake.

    But his prayer failed to convince the judge.

    The judge reasoned that if there was truly an emergency, Dudafa would have ensured that his application, which was filed since May, was heard by Justice Mohammed Idris who ordered him to deposit the passport, before the judge proceeded on vacation.

    Justice Obiozor rejected Salami’s explanation that hearing of the application before Justice Idris was stalled due to the EFCC’s failure to respond to the application despite being served.

    He said he would not be the one to release Dudafa’s passport to him, and directed him to wait till October 16, 2017 when Justice Idris, who ordered Dudafa to deposit the passport, would have returned from vacation.

    “Let him reschedule to October; he can reschedule to October,” Justice Obiozor said.

    The EFCC is prosecuting Dudafa on 23 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering.

    He is standing trial alongside his ex-account officer at Heritage Bank, Joseph Iwuejo, who was said to have aided him to perpetrate the alleged fraud.

    The anti-graft agency alleged that between June 2013 and June 2015, Dudafa and Iwuejo, who also claimed to be Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah, used different companies to fraudulently launder various sums of money running into N5.1bn.

    But Dudafa and Iwuejo pleaded not guilty to the charge.

     

  • Navy seize five vessels, arrest 76 suspected oil thieves in Rivers

    Navy seize five vessels, arrest 76 suspected oil thieves in Rivers

    The Nigerian Navy says it has impounded five vessels and two metallic barges illegally transporting 1,690 metric tons of diesel, in an operation in Rivers.

    Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Victor Adedipe, said on Thursday that the command had handed over the vessels, barges and 76 suspects to prosecuting security agencies in Onne, Rivers.

    The 76 all-male crew members on board the vessels were received by operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Adedipe said the vessels: MT Anino, MT Rockfish, MT Blessed, MT Mona I, and MT Leadership were seized at different locations in the state.

    The commander said troops on routine patrol caught MT Anino towing a barge with undisclosed quantity of petroleum product suspected to be illegally refined diesel.

    “On May 29, MT Anino was caught in the act operating side-by-side with a barge which was filled up with undisclosed quantity of petroleum product suspected to be stolen.

    “No fewer than 26 all-male crew members who were on board the vessel were detained,” he said.

    Adedipe said that troops on March 24 impounded MT Rockfish with 70 metric tons of diesel while MT Blessed laden with about 880 metric tons of diesel was seized on March 31.

    He disclosed that MT Mona I was caught on April 20 with 740 tons of diesel while MT Leadership was caught towing a barge with undisclosed quantity of product believed to be diesel.

    “MT Blessed had seven crew members on board; MT Rockfish eight and MT Mona I had nine crew members at the time of their seizures.

    “A total of 76 all-male crew members from the vessels had been in our custody providing interrogators useful information on the source of the products.

    “We have been able to conduct volumetric and forensic analysis of the petroleum product which determined that the signature did not fit into NNPC standard,” he said.

    Adedipe warned criminals against attack on oil and gas installations, saying that severe sanctions awaited anyone caught involved in criminality on the nation’s maritime environment.

    The FOC said the navy through its Maritime Awareness Capability strategy would insert more gunboats and platforms to cover all nooks and crannies of the sea and creeks.

    The EFCC Zonal Head, South-South, Mr Ishaq Salihu, who received vessels, Rockfish; Blessed and Mona I and 22 suspects, said the commission would conduct thorough investigation into the matter.

    “This handover is part of renewed collective effort by security agencies to stop oil bunkering and violent crimes to enable both socio-economic activities to thrive on our waterways,” Salihu said.

    Mr Muhammad Haruna, the Commandant, NSCDC Rivers command, assured that the suspects would be arraigned if found culpable of the allegations against them.

  • Alleged libel: Court grants Magu’s request for substituted service on Sun newspaper

    Alleged libel: Court grants Magu’s request for substituted service on Sun newspaper

    Justice Josephine Oyefeso of an Ikeja High Court has ordered that a motion exparte  filed by Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu be served on three journalists working with the Sun Newspaper.

    The EFCC boss had earlier this year sued the Sun Newspaper before the Lagos High Court over what he claims were false and malicious publications against his person.

    Joined in the suit as co-defendants are the Editor, Saturday Sun, Fred Itua, James Ojo and Lawrence Enyoghase.

    Counsel to Magu, Mr Wahab Shittu Wednesday moved a motion exparte seeking to serve the originating processes on the three reporters who authored the publication by pasting it on their last known address given at No. 2 Coscharis Street, Off Happy Home Avenue, Kirikiri Industrial Layout, Apapa, Lagos.

    The court granted the request of the EFCC counsel for substituted service.

    The EFCC boss  is seeking N5billion compensation for the alleged  libellous imputations and statements made against him in a story published  March 25, 2017 edition of the Saturday Sun.

    The report had alleged that the EFCC Boss purchased for himself  two mansions on different streets in the highbrow Maitama area of Abuja.

    Magu is however contending that the publication captioned “Magu under Fresh Probe over 2 Abuja Mansions” and authored by Fred Itua, James Ojo and Lawrene Enyoghasu, “willfully and maliciously made false, destructive, and defamatory statements against him

    Magu however maintained that neither himself nor his wife owned any property in Maitama.

    In addition to the demand for N5 billion compensation, Magu demanded that the publishers  issue a public apology and immediate retraction in writing of these false libelous statements, within seven days of the publication.

    Sun Newspapers refused to published a retraction prompting Magu to eventually file the suit.

    Justice Oyefeso has adjourned the matter to November 15, 2017 for trial.

     

  • Justice Agbadu-fishim arraigned over alleged N4.4m gratification

    Justice Agbadu-fishim arraigned over alleged N4.4m gratification

    Justice James Agbadu-fishim of the National Industrial Court, Lagos Division, was on Tuesday hauled up before Justice Raliatu Adebiyi of an Ikeja High Court over alleged N4.4 million gratification.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Agbadu-fishim for allegedly receiving N4.4million from seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), a lawyer and a law firm from 2013 to 2015.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seven SANs accused of unlawfully enriching the judge are — Felix Fagbohungbe, Paul Usoro, Uche Obi, Muiz Banire, Adeniyi Akintola Gani Adetola Kazeem and Joseph Nwobike.

    The prosecution alleged in the 19-count charge of unlawful enrichment that the judge received funds from a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Enobong Etteh and Alliance Law Firm.

    According to the EFCC, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN) deposited N200,000 on Dec. 5, 2013, N700,000 between May 10 and Dec. 19, 2014, N250,000 on Feb. 26, 2015 and N250,000 also on Feb. 26, 205 into the First Bank Account with no. 3008199491 belonging to Agbadu-fishim.

    The anti-graft agency alleges, that Mr Paul Usoro (SAN) between Aug. 5 and Dec. 12, 2015 deposited N300,000, between March 25 and March 26, deposited N400,000 and N100,000 into the First Bank Account of the judge with no. 3008199491.

    The law firm of Gani Adetola Kazeem (SAN), paid N100,000 on Feb. 10, 2015 and Mr Uche Obi (SAN) between Oct. 17 and Oct. 20, 2013 paid N200,000, Alliance Law Firm deposited N250,000 into the First Bank Account of the judge with number- 3008199491.

    A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Enobong Etteh, paid the sum of N200,000 on two occasions into the First Bank Account of the judge with number – 3008199491 on Oct. 27, 2014.

    The EFCC told the court that Mr Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), deposited N200,000 on July 12, 2014, N100,000 on Feb. 10, 2014, N100,000 on Feb. 26, 2015 and also N100,000 on Feb. 26, 2015 into the First Bank Account of the judge with number – 2006900216.

    The EFCC claimed that Agbadu-fishim received N150,000 on Dec. 12, 2014 and N100,000 on Sep. 10, 2015 from Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN) into his First Bank Account with number – 2006900216.

    Agbadu-fishim, however, denied the 19-count charge.

    After the judge’s plea was taken, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC requested for a trial date.

    Prof. A. Amuda (SAN), counsel to Agbadu-fishim, asked the court to grant the judge bail.

    “I will ask My Lord for your leave to apply for the bail of the defendant.

    “Pursuant to the case of Abiola VFRB, we are saying this with all sense of respect the defendant being a judge of the National Industrial Court was just served yesterday at 5pm with this charge.

    “It was at this time that he got the charge that I couldn’t get a flight to Lagos from Port – Harcourt and I had to travel overnight to Lagos to represent my client.

    “I pray that the court grants bail to the defendant on self recognisance, he is a judge of the National Industrial Court and he has started sitting.

    “My Lord we pleas that your Lordship grants the defendant bail.”

    Responding, Oyedepo told the court that he would not be opposing the bail of the judge.

    “I leave the issue of bail to the discretion of your Lordship, I ask that your Lordship secure the bail terms that will ensure the attendance in court of the defendant,” he said.

    In her ruling, Justice Raliatu Adebiyi said: “In Abacha V State, the main function of the nail is to ensure the attendance of the defendant.

    “In considering bail, the court must consider the nature of the offence charged.

    “No facts have been placed before the court to indicate that the defendant will skip bail.

    “The court hereby grants the defendant bail on self recognisance, he is to deposit his international passport with the Chief Registrar of the court,” she said.

    Justice Raliatu Adebiyi adjourned the case until Oct. 11, Oct. 12 and Oct. 13 for trial.

    NAN recalls that the National Judicial Council (NJC) had on June 2 recalled Agbadu-fishim and five other judges from suspension.

    A total of eight judges were suspended in November 2016 following a raid on their homes by the Department of State Security (DSS).

    They include, Agbadu-fishim of the NIC, John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, Uwani Aji of the Court of Appeal and Hydiazira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court.

    Others are Musa H. Kurya of the Federal High Court, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court and Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court.

    All the judges except Ngwuta and Ofili-Ajumogobia who are both currently facing corruption trial were recalled by the NJC.

    The NJC had said that the reason for their recall was the huge backlog of cases in their courts.

    The judicial body noted that only Ademola, Ngwuta and Ofili-Ajumogobia had been charged to court, emphasising that Ademola had been discharged and acquitted of the charges filed against him. (NAN)
    MAE/ENN/DA

  • American who allegedly scammed three Nigerians of $565,000 gets bail

    American who allegedly scammed three Nigerians of $565,000 gets bail

    An American, Marco Ramirez,  who allegedly defrauded three Nigerians of 565,000 dollars in an American Green Card scam was granted bail on Monday.

    Ramirez was granted bail in the sum of $250,000 by an Ikeja High Court.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ramirez was earlier remanded at the Kirikiri Prisons, after his arraignment on June 22 over the alleged scam.

    Justice Josephine Oyefeso while granting the bail said: “the defendant is hereby granted $250,000 bail or its naira equivalent with two sureties in like sum.

    “The current exchange rate should be put into consideration.

    “One of the sureties should be resident in Lagos, be a director of a reputable company and have landed property in Lagos State.

    “The sureties must show evidence of source of livelihood and swear to an affidavit to show same.

    “A copy of the ruling should be sent to all immigration agencies both land and air.

    “The defendant must report to the Lagos or Abuja offices of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) once a week.”

    NAN recalls that the EFCC had slammed a 16-count charge, bordering on obtaining 565,000 dollars under false presences from three Nigerians to get them American green card.

    Ramirez, the Managing Director of three companies – USA Now Plc., Eagleford Instalodge Group and USA Now Capital Group – committed the offences between February 2013 and August 2013, according to the EFCC.

    The American was alleged to have fraudulently received 545,000 dollars from one Amb. Godson Echejue to invest in Ramirez’s company.

    The plan was to procure an American green card (permanent residence card) for the Nigerian.

    Ramirez also allegedly received 10,000 dollars from one Abubakar Umar through a non-existent investment programme in the U.S. which would make Umar eligible to obtain an American passport

    The EFCC also accused Ramirez of illegally receiving 10,000 dollars from one Olukayode Sodimu on the pretext that the funds were facilitation fees with the American Immigration Services for an American Green Card.

    Oyefeso adjourned the case until Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 for continuation of trial.

  • Alleged fraud: Jumoke Akinjide granted bail

    Alleged fraud: Jumoke Akinjide granted bail

    A Federal High Court in Ibadan on Thursday granted bail to Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide, former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, on self-recognition, in a case of N650 million fraud.

    The judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek, also granted bail to Sen. Ayoade Adeseun and Mr Olanrewaju Otiti in the same case, in the sum of N100 million.

    The judge added that the each of the sureties to be provided by the two accused persons, must deposit their passport photographs and Certificates of Occupancy of landed property belonging to them.

    Abdulmaleek adjourned the case to Sept. 12, for the commencement of trial.

    The three accused persons were dragged before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over a N650 million fraud charge.

    At the resumed hearing of the matter, Adeseun, who was conspicuously absent at the previous sitting, was seen in the dock, along with the other two accused persons.

    When the charges were read to Adeseun, he pleaded not guilty to the 24-count charge proffered against him.

    Mr O.F.A. Adeosun, the defence counsel, immediately prayed the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms and in self-recognition.

    However, Mr Idriss Mohammed, counsel to the EFCC, objected the application, saying that the accused persons might jump bail.

    Mohammed recalled that Adeseun had previously failed to make himself available in court, when the agency granted him administrative bail.

    Meanwhile, Mr Richard Ogunwole (SAN), counsel to Akinjide, had earlier prayed the court to admit his client to bail, based on self-recognition.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that with Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, still at large, Akinjide, Adeseun and Otiti have been standing trial over an alleged N650 million fraud in the run-off to the 2015 general elections.

  • NGF to EFCC:  Stop “Shadow-boxing” Gov. Yari

    NGF to EFCC:  Stop “Shadow-boxing” Gov. Yari

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its chairman Mr Ibrahim Mustafa Magu to desist from unnecessary “shadow-boxing” and leave Dr Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar Governor of Zamfara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, to face his job.

    This was contained in a statement issued by Head, media & public affairs, Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, Abulrazque Barkindo.

    According to him, Yari had for the umpteenth time told the commission that he neither owns a plot of land in Lagos nor owns or intends to build a hotel in Lagos.

    The statement reads “Yari had denied any links with a $3million hotel in Lagos which some online media attributed to him and in fact sued the publications responsible for that insidious report for libel.

    “But for want of scapegoats in its battle against the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission continues to drag the governor’s name in the mud in a veiled effort to divert attention from the matters of the moment.

    “The NGF therefore urges the public to note that this is not about any missing funds anymore as the NGF would like to categorically emphasize that it did not, at any material time, receive any funds from the Paris London refunds on behalf of any states.

    “All states funds were remitted to them directly from the federation accounts by the Ministry of Finance. What the NGF received, it must be repeated here, was monies due to the consortium of consultants who verified the amounts due to all the states that were owed.

    “Furthermore, the NGF would like to state that its involvement with the Paris-London Club refunds had saved the states colossal amounts of money individually and collectively because instead of the high percentages agreed upon by the individual states to their separate consultants, the NGF drew the percentages down to 2% which was paid to the consortium.”

    He said that before then states had agreed to pay consultants between 10 and 30 % as commission for recovering the over-deductions.

    “It is however understandable that in the absence of a fall guy, the EFCC has consistently maligned the person of the Zamfara State governor and Chairman of the NGF, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, even when the need to so do was untenable, ridiculous and absent.

    “The NGF is asking the commanding heights of the EFCC to instead look elsewhere for its real or imagined enemies and allow Yari Abubakar to face enormous task of governing his state and leading the governors of Nigeria,” it stated.

  • Court dismisses Tompolo’s suit seeking to void ACJA sections

    Court dismisses Tompolo’s suit seeking to void ACJA sections

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Wednesday dismissed a suit by a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo).

    Tompolo, who was declared wanted last February 12, was charged with an alleged N45.9 billion fraud.

    He sought an order “nullifying, voiding, striking down and expunging sections 221 and 306 from the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 to the extent of their inconsistency with the 1999 Constitution.”

    Through his lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, he said the sections were unconstitutional because they prevent a court from entertaining any objection to a criminal charge or an application for stay of proceedings pending appeal.

    Section 221 says: “Objections shall not be taken or entertained during proceedings or trial on the ground of an imperfect or erroneous charge.”

    Section 306 says: “An application for stay of proceedings in respect of a criminal matter before a court shall not be entertained.”

    But, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN) said the suit was an abuse of court process and should be dismissed.

    He said a warrant of arrest was issued for Tompolo’s arrest only when he failed to appear in court to answer to criminal charges against him.

    “He failed and bluntly refused to present himself in court, thus leaving the court with no other option but to take measures at compelling him to appear,” AGF said.

    Malami said sections 221 and 306 of the ACJA do not infringe on Tompolo’s rights to fair hearing.

    The sections, he said, were made to ensure speedy and efficient justice delivery and prevent “malicious delays and stalling of criminal cases by parties employing frivolous and time wasting tactics to impede the course of justice.”

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which was also joined in the suit, said Tompolo was “a fugitive in law”, and so, should not be allowed to seek redress in court until he submits himself for trial.

    It argued that given the materials placed before the court, it was clear that Tompolo was in contempt of the order of Justice Ibrahim Buba, who had earlier compelled his attendance in court to answer to charges preferred against him.

    EFCC described the application as an abuse of court process, since it was trite that a party who was in contempt of court cannot seek redress.

    He urged the court to throw out the application for lacking in merit.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola held that the Supreme Court had affirmed that whether a charge was defective or not, an accused person was bound to first take his plea.

    The judge said the apex court had confirmed the validity of the ACJA sections, which were designed to enhance speedy criminal justice administration.

    She said it was in the defendant’s interest for the case be decided quickly, which the law was designed to achieve.

    She dismissed Tompolo’s suit but awarded no cost.

    Adegboruwa told our correspondent that Tompolo would appeal the judgment.

    “Of course we’ll appeal,” he said.

     

  • Atiku’s wife to court: Pastor who defrauded me of N918m was my ‘errand boy’

    Atiku’s wife to court: Pastor who defrauded me of N918m was my ‘errand boy’

    Mrs Titi Atiku, wife of former Vice-President Abubakar Atiku, told an Ikeja High Court that Akpan-Jacobs, the pastor, who allegedly defrauded her of N918 million was her “errand boy”.

    Titi made this claim while being cross-examined on Wednesday by Mr Amos Ibe, the defence counsel to Akpan-Jacobs.

    “I paid N49 million for the land used as the premises of THA Shipping, my partner Fred Holmes never contributed to the buying of the land but he contributed to the building of the property.

    “The N49 million was given to Akpan-Jacobs to purchase the land, but did not know who he bought the land from.

    “He never contributed a dime, he was just like an errand boy,” Atiku said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged Akpan-Jacobs with a 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion of property worth N918 million belonging to THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

    THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd, a company created in 2000, is owned by Atiku, Akpan-Jacobs and Fred Holmes, her German business partner.

    Atiku was alleged to be the majority shareholder with 49 per cent shares, while Holmes and Akpan-Jacobs each had 25 per cent shares.

    Akpan-Jacobs, who also doubled as the company’s Managing Director and Secretary, was alleged to have gone to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to alter the share holding in his favour and forged the company’s board resolutions.

    He allegedly allotted 70 per cent shares to himself and 15 per cent shares each to Titi and Holmes.

    According to the EFCC, welding a fraudulent shareholding power, Akpan-Jacobs sold a property belonging to the company to Dana Motors Nigeria Ltd for N918 million.

    The property is located at Plot C63 A, Amuwo-Odofin Commercial Layout along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos.

    Responding to Atiku’s claim that Akpan-Jacobs was her errand boy, Ibe asked: “He was made a Managing Director (MD), how can an errand boy be made an MD ?

    “He was made an MD to stand in for Mr Fred Holmes because Holmes had not resigned from his job.

    “When it was time for Akpan to step down as the MD, he refused because by then he had perfected his fraudulent acts.”

    The wife of ex-VP denied Ibe’s claims that Akpan-Jacobs owned and promoted THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd and only brought her on board to bring in big briefs and clients.

    “Is he the one who bought the land, built the building? He was merely supervising.

    “My clout gave the company a lot of prestige, a lot of people wanted to do business with us and people brought a lot of containers to us,” she said.

    NAN recalls that while giving evidence on May 23, Atiku had told the court that she had used her maiden name, Florence Doregos, for business transactions because she was serving in government at the time.

    She denied Ibe’s accusations that Akpan-Jacobs never forged her signature either as Florence Doregos and Titi Abubakar in company documents.

    Mrs Atiku also denied Akpan-Jacobs claims that she never contributed to the construction of the building that housed the company.

    “I have a breakdown of the costs used in the construction of the building, Akpan-Jacobs gave me the breakdown in 2002 but he did not sign it.

    “I never said the property was built by Julius Berger, Mr Holmes was a Julius Berger staff and he might have used his connections to make the building a solid structure.

    “There was a document that Akpan-Jacobs had showed me that was signed Abubakar, I told him that that was not Titi Abubakar’s signature.

    “He forged Florence Doregos signature in a number of documents,” she said.

    Atiku also told the court that she and Holmes on April 6, 2009 passed a resolution removing Akpan-Jacobs from the ownership of THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

    “He had sold the property by the time we passed that resolution but we wrote to Akpan notifying him of what we wanted to do.

    “My lawyer, Mr Chima went to Dana Motors Ltd made efforts to stop the sale of the property because by then, they had not given Akpan much money for the sale of the property.

    “When Mr Chima went to Dana Motors Ltd to tell them that the property was not for sale, they confided in him that the property was sold to Akpan for N918 million.

    “I only gave power of attorney to one Ms Springerbeck, a German citizen; I, however, reverted the power of attorney to my lawyer after I noticed that she had a lot of excesses.

    “Akpan used the property as a collateral for a loan from First Bank because he needed funds to run for governor of Akwa-Ibom.

    “When he could not pay the loan and settle his creditors, he sold THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

    “I am not aware that a deed of assignment was signed by a secretary and director of the company, Akpan did not introduce any secretary to me,” she said.

    Mr Babatunde Sonoiki, the EFCC counsel, while re-examining Atiku, asked if she signed any the company resolutions used in the alleged fraud.

    “Did you ever sign board resolutions assigning anyone as company secretary, approving the sale of the property and to loan money from First Bank on behalf of THA Shipping?”

    Atiku replied: “I never signed any board resolution for any of those purposes.”

    Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye adjourned the case until July 6 for continuation of trial.