Ibrahim Abdulsalam: docked for N6.8billion fraud

Economic and Financial crime commission (EFCC) today arraigned before a Federal high court sitting at Ikoyi, South West Nigeria,the Managing Director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency( NAMA) Ibrahim Abdulsalam over an alleged stealing and conversion of the agency’s money amounting to N6,850,447,609.90

Also arraigned alongside the Managing Director of NAMA are three Directors of the Agency, Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche,and two Limited Liability companies Randville investment limited,Multeng Travels and Tours Limited alleged to have been used as conduit pipe to defraud the Agency.

The wife of one of the Directors Joy Ayodele Adegorite who is the managing director of Multeng Travels and Tours Limited was also arraigned.

In a twenty-one count criminal charge number FHC/ L/ 145C/2016 signed by the Head of EFCC Legal services Gbolahan Latona and filed before the court by the prosecutor,Rotimi Oyedepo, it was alleged that all the accused persons and one Nnamdi Udoh still at large between 31st January,2013 and 3rd of September,2015. with intent to defraud and by false pretence conspired together to induce the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency to deliver the sum of N2,847,523,975 to Delosa Limited,Air Sea Delivery Ltd and Sea Schedules Systems Ltd under the pretence that the said sum represented the cost of clearing consignments belonging to the Agency

The accused persons were also alleged to have converted various sums of money amounting to N4,003,532,608.90 belonging to NAMA.

When the charges were read to them, they all pleaded not guilty.

Consequently, the EFCC prosecutor Mr Rotimi Oyedepo while urging the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody asked the court to adjourn the case for trial.

However,Mr Ayo Olumofin leading six other lawyers representing the accused persons told the court that they have filed bail application on behalf of the accused persons,but Mr Oyedepo told the court that he needed time to react to the bail applications

The presiding Judge, Babs Kiewumi while adjourning the matter till 12 April,2016 for the hearing of the bail applications ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.

The author, Akin Kuponiyi can be reached at: [email protected]