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Lukman Olabiyi
Justice Cecilia Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday convicted the acting Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Callistus Nwabueze Obi, docked for unlawful conversion and N136 million fraud.
Others convicted alongside Obi by the court are Dismass Alu Adoo, a personal assistant to the former director-general of NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi, and two companies owned by Obi – Grand Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment Limited.
Obi and others were arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of conspiracy, fraud, unlawful conversion and theft of N136 million belonging to NIMASA.
They were accused of committing the offences between January 6, 2014 and May 30, 2015, in Lagos.
The offences, according to the prosecution, are punishable under sections 15 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibitions (Amendment) Act, 2012
The convicts had pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were first arraigned before the court on April 12, 2016, and equally admitted to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties each, in like sum.
During their trial, the EFCC, through its lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, called eight witnesses and tendered several documents, which were admitted as exhibits.
At the end of the prosecution’s case on January 31, 2017, the convicts failed to open their defence but filed a no-case submission, which was dismissed by the court on February 21, 2017 and they were ordered to open their defence.
Delivering judgement yesterday, Justice Olatoregun discharged and acquitted Obi and Adoo of the charges of conspiracy, saying that the prosecution failed in establishing the offence against them.
Olatoregun, however, held that the prosecution through its witnesses’ overwhelming evidence established the offence of unlawful conversion against the Obi and Adoo. The judge also held that the prosecution succeeded in establishing the offence of aiding against Obi and his companies.
Consequently, Olatoregun convicted Obi of counts two to eight, while Adoo was convicted of counts two, three and four.
The judge also convicted Obi’s companies of aiding and abetting.
Olatoregun, however, adjourned till May 28, for sentencing of the convicts.
