Court Jails Ex-NIMASA Acting DG, Others For 7 Years Over N136m Theft
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Monday sentenced a former acting Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Callistus Nwabueze Obi to seven years imprisonment for unlawful conversion and theft of the sum of N136 million belonging to the agency.
Justice Olatoregun also handed the same jail term to Obi’s co-defendant, Dismass Alu Adoo, a Personal Assistant to the former Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun had on May 23 found the two convicts guilty of an 8-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful conversion and theft of the sum of N331 million belonging to NIMASA brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They were docked alongside two companies owned by Obi, Grand Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment Limited, which were also convicted by the court.
While the former Acting DG got a seven year jail term with an option of paying a N42 million fine, the second convict, Adoo got a seven year jail term with an option of N21 million fine for the three counts on which he was convicted.
In her sentence, Justice Olatoregun noted that though the punishment section was silent on the issue of fines, she held that the court had the discretion to award same.
She therefore proceeded to convict the first defendant, Callistus Obi on count two, three, four, six seven and eight.
For each of the count, she sentenced him to seven years imprisonment or an option of N7m fine.
While the sentence is to run concurrently, the fines are cumulative.
On count five, the court imposed a N10 million fine on the two companies, Grand Pact Ltd and Global Seal Investment Limited.
Justice Olatoregun also refused to order the forfeiture to the Federal Government, of a Hotel in Asaba called La Diva Hotel and Events Centre, which is owned by the first defendant.
In the charge marked FHC/L/148C/16, the convicts committing the offences between January 6, 2014 and May 30, 2015, in Lagos.
The offences according to the prosecution are contrary to and punishable under Sections 15 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibitions (Amendment) Act, 2012
When they were arraigned on April 12, 2016, the convicts have pleaded not guilty to the charge and the judge granted them bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties each in like sum.
During the course of the trial, the anti-graft agency through its lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, called eight witnesses as well as tendered several documents which were admitted as exhibits.
Among the witnesses called are three bankers, two Bureau de Change Operators,(BDC) one Ugochukwu Obi, a Senior Assistant to Obi, an official of NIMASA and Orji Chukwuma, an Investigator with the EFCC.
When the prosecution closed its case on January 31, 2017, the convicts filed no-case-submission application, which was rejected by the court on February 21, 2017 and they were ordered to open their defence.
While delivering her judgement on May 23, Justice Olatoregun discharged and acquitted Obi and Adoo of the charge of conspiracy, saying that the prosecution failed to established the offence against the duo.
Justice Olatoregun, however, held that the prosecution through its witnesses and overwhelming evidence, had been able to establish the offence of unlawful conversion and offence of aiding and abetting against all the convicts.
The judge therefore convicted Obi of counts two to eight of the charge, while Adoo, the second defendant was convicted of counts two, three and four of the charge.
The court also convicted Obi’s companies of aiding and abetting.
