The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger Delta militant leader

  • Court upholds private lawyer’s right to prosecute Akpobolokemi

    Court upholds private lawyer’s right to prosecute Akpobolokemi

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Wednesday ruled that a private lawyer, Festus Afeyiodion, has the right to prosecute former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Akpobolokemi along with a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo).

    EFCC, in the 40 count-charge, said the suspects allegedly diverted N34 billion for personal use.

    Others charged along with them are Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electricals Limited, Kemi Engozu, Boloboere Property and Estate Limited, Rex Elem, Destre Consult Limited, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh.

    The commission alleged the money accrued from the public private partnership agreement between NIMASA and Global West Vessel Specialist, owned by Tompolo, who was arraigned in absentia.

    The second defendant’s counsel raised an objection that it was Festus Keyamo who was given a fiat to prosecute the case.

    He contended that the fiat given to Keyamo cannot be transferred to another person.

    Afeyiodion said he has the fiat to prosecute the matter. He showed it to the court as well as other defence counsel.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba ruled that the objection to Afeyodion’s appearance in the matter was misconcieved.

    “This is not a case of private prosecution and it is not unconstitutional. Section 106 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) is clear on this issue”, the judge said.

    Prosecution witness Ahmed Ghali, an EFCC investigator, tendered a benchmark report which which was allegedly altered through a verbal instruction by Akpobolokemi.

    The report was tendered by the witness as one of his findings during investigation.

    Ghali said all the defendants volunteered their statements in defence of the allegations against them.

    Copies of the statements written by Akpobolokemi, Elem, and Gregory Mbonu were tendered as exhibits and were admitted in evidence.

    Justice Babs adjourned to February 16 for continuation of trial

  • Boko Haram food seller arrested in Yobe

    Boko Haram food seller arrested in Yobe

    …..As army nabs former Niger Delta militant leader

     

    A man suspected to be one of the food sellers to the dreaded extremist group Boko Haram and who has been on the Nigerian military wanted list number 105 has been arrested by a detachment of Army troops and local vigilantes in Azare community, Gujba local government area of Yobe state.

    Muhammed Bulama described as a dangerous insurgent has been on the wanted list of the military for many months before his eventual arrest on Tuesday September 6, 2016. Arrested alongside Bulama were two other suspects named Ardo Abba Muhammed ( who claimed to be an elder brother to Bulama) and Muhammadu Kaigama.

    The three suspects were arrested while riding on horseback and bicycle as they made their way to the market to sell some sheep for the extremist group.

    According to the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, Bulama personally identified his photograph in the wanted list and confessed that he specialized in rearing animals for the terrorist group.

    Usman said the three suspects also confessed they came to Azare community to sell the animals after the group ran out of cash in their camp and were also meant to procure some food items for the upcoming Sallah festivity.

    Also on Tuesday, troops of the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army arrested a suspected national economy saboteur and alleged leader of the “Otugas Fire Force” militant group, Mr. Gabriel Ogbudje.

    He was arrested with an accomplice named Elvis Dweller Ejus. The group had allegedly threatened to attack the Utorogu Gas Plant and is alleged to be responsible for the blowing of NPDC/Shoreline major delivery trunk line within Ogo-Oteri general area on the 26th of August 2016.

    The suspected militant was arrested along Agbor-Abraka road, Edo State while he was trailed by the troops. He has been on the run since he was declared wanted because of his public declaration as the leader of the militant group “Otugas Fire Force”.

    Ogbudje had made media headlines when he declared his operation code named “Crocodile Tears”, an metaphor to the Army’s ongoing military exercise nicknamed “Operation Crocodile Smile”.

    Col Usman said both suspects have been handed over to Operation DELTA SAFE for further interrogation and subsequent handing over to the relevant security agency for prosecutions.

    Also troops of 13 Brigade Nigerian Army in conjunction with Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Air Force and covert operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency, arrested a suspected kingpin of the Niger Delta Avengers, Isaac Romeo that goes by the appellation of “G2” in their terrorists camp.

    He was arrested along with two other persons; Mr. Lawson Samson and an elderly man, Mr. Iyang Ekpo in Calabar, Cross State while driving in a vehicle with  registration number, CRS 86 AO1 on Saturday, 3rd September 2016.

    The Army spokesman said the arrest followed painstaking efforts and tracking   of the militant who was in the state to perpetrate further criminal activities of sabotaging critical infrastructures.

  • Alleged N34b fraud: EFCC arraigns Tompolo in absentia

    Alleged N34b fraud: EFCC arraigns Tompolo in absentia

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Tuesday arraigned a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) at the Federal High Court in Lagos in Lagos in absentia over N34billion fraud.

    He was charged along with a former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General Patrick Akpobolokemi; Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electricals Limited and Kemi Engozu.

    Others are Boloboere Property and Estate Limited, Rex Elem, Destre Consult Limited, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh.

    EFCC, in the 40-count charge before Justice Ibrahim Buba, said the suspects allegedly diverted N34 billion for personal use.

    It alleged the money accrued from the public private partnership agreement between NIMASA and Global West Vessel Specialist, said to be owned by Tompolo.

    The alleged offence contravenes Section 15 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

    Count one reads: “That you, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo) now at large, Patrick Akpobolokemi, Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, in 2012 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: Conversion of the sums of N601,516.13 and $1,766,428.62, property of NIMASA, knowing that the said sums were proceeds of stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

    The defendants, who were all present except Tompolo, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

    Tompolo will be arraigned on another 22-count charge also pending before Justice Buba, who adjourned it until April 18. It borders on stealing, advanced fee fraud and money laundering involving about N22.7billion.

    In the pending charge, Tompolo will face trial along with Akpobolokemi, whose four brothers – Victor, Nobert, Emmanuel and Clement – said to be at large, were said to have aided the suspects to commit the fraud.

    They were accused of converting various sums running into over N22.7billion stolen from NIMASA to their personal use between December 12, 2014 and April 10, 2015.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba had, on February 8, directed security agencies to arrest Tompolo and held that the warrant of arrest issued for his arrest still subsists.

    Tompolo’s lead counsel, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), had sought to set aside the warrant of arrest, but the judge dismissed the application and re-issued a fresh warrant for Tompolo’s arrest.

    The judge subsequently granted EFCC’s application empowering it to seize all Tompolo’s traceable assets pending his arrest or appearance in court for arraignment. The properties will be auctioned after three months beginning from February 19 when the order was made should Tompolo refuse to turn up, the judge ordered.

    Tompolo appealed the order for his arrest and prayed the appellate court to order the transfer of his case from Justice Buba to another judge.

    His lawyers are urging the Court of Appeal to set aside the warrant of arrest on the basis that Justice Buba erred in law in refusing to nullify it.

    EFCC lawyer Festus Keyamo told reporters yesterday that Tompolo would stand trial whenever he is arrested. He said security agencies are on his trail.

    “It is the duty of the security forces and‎ they are still making efforts to get him. He’s on the run and he cannot continue to be on the run for ever. We will get him,” Keyamo said.

    The other defendants’ lawyers urged Justice Buba to grant them bail in the most liberal terms. Keyamo said since some of the accused persons were already on bail in another charge before the court, they should be granted bail on conditions that would ensure their attendance in court.

    Justice Buba, therefore, granted the defendants N50 million bail with one reliable surety in like sum. Enisuoh‎ was granted bail for N10million with one surety.

    “The defendants who are already on bail are to perfect their bail conditions within 24 hours or be remanded in prison. Those appearing before me for the first time should perfect their bail conditions today or be remanded in prison,” Justice Buba ruled.

    He adjourned until May 23, 24, 25, and 26 for trial.

     

  • Tompolo serves EFCC with appeal records

    Tompolo serves EFCC with appeal records

    Counsel to a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Tuesday said his client has served the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with his record of appeal.

    He said the commission’s response to the appeal is being awaited.

    Tompolo filed his appellant’s brief of argument on March 11 against the order of the Federal High Court for his arrest made on January 14.

    Tompolo had on January 27 filed an application to set the warrant of arrest aside, but Justice Ibrahim Buba dismissed it.

    Adegboruwa, in a statement, said in demonstration of Tompolo’s desire to have the appeal heard and determined expeditiously, he compiled and forwarded the record of appeal to the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division on March 3.

    “The prosecutor, that is the EFCC, has been duly served with the said record of appeal,” the lawyer said.

    He added: “In further demonstration of his commitment to the rule of law and due process, Tompolo filed his Appellant’s Brief of Argument, through the law firms of Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa on March 11, 2016, thus activating the judicial process for the prompt and effective determination of the said appeal.

    “The consequence of this in law is that Tompolo’s case is now before the Court of Appeal, with the concomitant effect that the trial Federal High Court will willingly cede jurisdiction over Tompolo’s case to the Court of Appeal since the appeal has now been entered, while Tompolo and his team of lawyers await the response of the EFCC to file their respondent’s brief so that the appeal can proceed to hearing timeously.”

    Tompolo said Justice Buba erred in law in refusing to set aside the warrant of arrest issued against him.

    He said there was no evidence to show that he had been notified of the summons and the criminal charge pending against him.

    Tompolo also complained that the learned judge should have ascertained that the EFCC duly complied with the order for substituted service, by posting the charge at the correct address.

    The appellant stated further that the application leading to the issuance of the warrant of arrest was not competently placed before the court, as the counsel that signed and filed it on EFCC’s behalf failed to affix his stamp and seal on it.

    Tompolo is asking the Court of Appeal to set aside the warrant for his arrest and vacate all subsequent proceedings emanating from the “flawed” process of the criminal charge.

    He is praying that the charge against him be transferred from Justice Buba to another judge of the Federal High Court.

    The case comes up before Justice Buba on March 22.