EFCC arraigns NAMA MD for N5.5bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday arraigned the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, and six others for alleged N5.5bn fraud.

Abdulsalam and his co-accused persons were arraigned on 20 counts before Justice Babs Kuewumi of a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Those charged alongside Abdulsalam were Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche and Joy Adegorite.

Among the accused persons were also two companies, Randville Investment Limited and Multeng Travels and Tours Limited.

In the charge presented before the court by its prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, the EFCC accused Abdulsam and his alleged accomplices of fraudulently diverting various sums running into N5.5bn belonging to NAMA to their private use.

They were accused of inducing NAMA to deliver part of the money in several tranches to three companies, Delosa Ltd., Air Sea Delivery Ltd. and Sea Schedules Systems Ltd., under the pretence that the money was the cost of clearing some consignments belonging to NAMA.

They were also accused of fraudulently converting part of the money, which the EFCC said was proceeds of theft from NAMA, to their own.

The alleged fraud was said to have been perpetrated in Lagos between August 2013 and January 2016.

Oyedepo said the accused acted contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and were liable to punishment under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

He said the accused also violated Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and were also liable to being punished under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

But upon reading the charges to them, Abdulsalam and his alleged accomplices pleaded not guilty.

In view of their plea, Oyedepo sought a day for trial to commence and prayed the court to remand the accused persons in prison pending trial.

Justice Kuewumi ordered the prison remand of the accused persons after adjourning till April 12, 2016 to entertain their applications for bail.

Credit: Punch