A prosecution witness, Chukwuemeka Benjamin Onuoha has told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos how his account was credited with N546.8million by an official of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Onuoha, a fashion designer who revealed this yesterday as the trial of former NIMASA boss, Dr.Patrick Akpobolokemi continued, the said amount was credited to his account from NIMASA even when he had no business relationship with the agency.
While being led in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo, he told the court that his company, Extreme Vertevex Limited was used as conduit pipe to siphon over N546,802,000 million from the coffers of NIMASA for a contract that was not awarded to him nor executed by him.
He was the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the former NIMASA boss, Patrick Akpobolokemi and six others over alleged diversion of N2.6 billion belonging to NIMASA.
Akpobolokemi was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba along with three others – Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan – and three companies, namely Blockz and Stonz Limited, Kenzo Logistics Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistic Limited.
In a twenty- two count charge filed before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), they were accused of converting a total of N2, 658,957,666 between December 23, 2013 and May 28 this year. The accused pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Onuoha told the court that N546,802, 000 million was paid into his account with Zenith bank even though he did not tender any proposal or carried out any contract for NIMASA.
He further told the court that the disbursement of the money was facilitated by the third accused (Ekene Nwakuche) who was his secondary school mate.
Narrating in graphic details how he received the money, Onuoha said sometimes in 2013 when Nwakuche was employed by NIMASA, he approached him and pleaded with him to ‘remember him’ if there was any contract he could implement.
Shortly after he made the request, Nwakuche called him on phone to enquire if he had any registered company that could be used for transactions as well as the company’s accounts.
Onuoha narrated further that not too long after he supplied details of his company and his bank account to Nwakuche that, he received several alerts from his bank totaling N546,802,000 million.
On August 2014 he received N21, 802, 000, on November 6, 2014; he received the sum of N318 million and on November 25, 2014 he received alert of N207 million into his account.
He further stated that when he inquired from him on what the money was meant for, he was told to wait for further instructions.
Onuoha told the court that he was later instructed to transfer the money to different accounts by Nwakuche
Under cross examination, by Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN, counsel to the first accused Patrick Akpobolokemi, Onuoha told the court that he had never met Akpobolokemi or received any instruction from him.
Also testifying yesterday, a Bureau De Change operator, Hussein Sabo said on March 2014 he was approached by one Muhammed Darlington who told him that the second accused person (Captain Ezekiel Agaba) wanted to buy dollars,
Sabo in his testimony said, ”Darlington collected my account numbers and several millions of naira were paid into the account which I used to buy dollars.
Sabo also confirmed that on March 3, 2014, monies were paid into his account namely, N33, 800,000; N35, 000,000; N20, 000,000 and N3, 000,000 respectively.
He also disclosed that between the month of March 2014 and December 2014 he received through his account, N85, 305,000, N155, 300,000, N13, 000,000, N10, 000,000, and N84, 000, 000 respectively.
Justice Buba has adjourned further hearing in the matter till February 2, 5, 16 and 19 respectively when EFCC is expected to call more witnesses.
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