Witness reveals ex-NIMASA DG built hotel with agency’s funds

There were more startling revelations as to how a former acting Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Calistus Obi allegedly built a hotel in Asaba, the Delta State capital, using the agency’s funds.

He made the revelation during the resumed hearing at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday.

Obi and three companies – Dismass Alu Adoon, Grand Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment Limited were arraigned on eight counts of converting N378,810,000 from NIMASA.

Obi, a former NIMASA Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Service, who took over from Patrick Akpobolokemi, is facing six separate fraud and theft charges.

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operative, Orji Chukwuma said the defendant used NIMASA’s funds to build a hotel.

Read also: Cop who killed, buried senior colleague over N300,000 dismissed

According to him, the money was taken from an account opened for NIMASA’s Technical Ratification Committee on Maritime Labour Congress.

Chukwuma said N10million was paid to Seastroke International Ltd which was developing the hotel for Obi.

The EFCC goon also revealed that Obi also gave N1million to St Mary’s Catholic Church, Okija in Anambra State, but the purpose was not disclosed.

According to the him, Obi personally received N200,000 from the account on February 12, 2014.

The EFCC investigator said a company, Knight and Sheriff, was paid N10million. He said the company’s account was operated by Obi’s special adviser.

“I was made to understand that the operator of the account was his SA who started using it to keep monies for the first defendant (Obi),” the witness said.

Chukwuma said the two companies NIMASA’s funds were paid to never had any business dealing with the agency.

The witness further said Obi made several payments to different individuals, including to his wife, using NIMASA’s funds.

“He doesn’t have any explanation of why these funds were withdrawn and he doesn’t have any documents showing the utilisation of these funds,” the witness said.

Obi had pleaded not guilty to the charge at his arraignment.

 

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