EFCC to arraign Akpobolokemi on sixth fraud charge

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to again arraign a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi, for an alleged fraud of N8, 537,586,798.58.

The new charge pending before Justice Saliu Saidu of a Federal High Court in Lagos is the sixth that the EFCC would file against Akpobolokemi following his removal as the DG of NIMASA by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He was also arraigned with others before Justice Raliat Adebiyi of a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere.He is currently standing trial along with other on three different charges before Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court.

The EFCC also filed two charges, including the fresh and latest one, against him and other before Justice Saidu.

Joined with Akpobolokemi in the new and latest charge is a former Commander of the military Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, in the Niger Delta, Maj.  Gen. Emmanuel Atewe.

The other defendants in the charge sheet containing 11 counts are Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired among themselves to defraud NIMASA of N8.5bn using six companies – Jagan Limited; Jagan Trading Company Limited; Jagan Global Services Limited; Al-Nald Limited; Paper Warehouse Limited;  Eastpoint Integrated Services Limited and De-Newlink Integrated Services Limited.

The EFCC claimed that the defendants committed the alleged fraud between September 5, 2014 and May 20, 2015.

The offence is said to be 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 are also to be tried for allegedly violating Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap  C. 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Their arraignment earlier scheduled for Friday could not proceed as Akpobolokemi told the court that he had yet to be served with the new charge.

Justice Saidu consequently fixed June 3, 2016 for  their arraignment.