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Court orders ex-NIMASA boss, six others remanded in prison

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More trouble came the way of a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, Justice Raliat Adebiyi of a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, ordered that he be remanded in Ikoyi Prison alongside 6 other staff of the agency on Monday, pending when they meet their bail conditions set at N20  million each and two sureties in like sum.

The accused persons were charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing N754, 740,680.00 belonging to NIMASA.

Arraigned along with Akpobolokemi were Capt. Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Amechee Juan, Vincent Udoye, Capt. Adegboyega Sahib Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited.

According to the charges, Akpobolokemi, Capt. Agaba, Nwakuche, Juan and Udoye were alleged to have between October 30, 2014 and May 6, 2015 converted to their personal use N346, 844,680.00 property of NIMASA, which was released to them for the implementation of Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS).

Read also: EFCC rearrests former NIMASA DG

Similarly, they were said to have on or about May 28, 2015 with a dishonest intent converted to their own use the sum of N257, 000,000.00 released for the implementation of VIMSAS.

While addressing the court for the bail application, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), counsel to Akpobolokemi, informed the court that his client is facing three other similar charges before the Federal High Court in Lagos and had been granted bail, submitting that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJA) encourages judicial officers to grant bail in liberal terms and conditions.

He prayed the court to stand on the existing bail conditions granted Akpobolokemi, adding that there were sufficient materials before the court to enable it grant bail to the first defendant.

Justice Adebiyi however refused the request to admit the defendants to bail based on the stated conditions, adding that it would be practically impossible for her to compel the sureties to produce the defendants if they absconded.

The judge granted the first to fifth defendants bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in the like sum, while the sixth and seventh defendants got bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in the like sum, while adjourning the case till February 24, 26, 29 and March 18, 21 for trial.

It would be recalled that the NIMASA boss is facing charges in three other cases bordering on fraud and money laundering.

Keywords
Lagos court sends Akpobolokemi back to prison

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