In our review of high-profile corruption trials today, the former Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, and lawmaker representing Akwa Ibom North-East District at the Senate, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, was arraigned over non-declaration of assets.
Also, Mr. Calistus Obi a former Acting Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), was charged with an alleged N136 million fraud.
Read on:
Ike Ekweremadu in non-declaration of assets
The Federal Government filed charges against Chief Ike Ekweremadu, former Deputy Senate President and the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East District, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, for alleged failure to declare their assets.
Suits against the lawmakers were filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) for the recovery of public property.
The Okoi Obon-Obla-led presidential panel had on March 21, 2018, filed an ex parte motion seeking an order of interim forfeiture of 22 houses pending the conclusion of the investigation of the former Deputy Senate President’s failure to declare the properties as part of his assets.
The panel, through its lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), had, in the ex parte motion, stated that preliminary investigation by the applicant revealed that a prima facie case of a breach of the code of conduct for public officers has been made out against the respondent (Ekweremadu).
The panel said Ekweremadu acquired the houses between 2007 and 2015, but failed to declare them in June 2007 and June 2015, including nine in Abuja, two in London, United Kingdom, eight in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate and three in Florida, United States.
After granting the orders for service through substituted means, the judge fixed October 22 to hear the suit against Ekweremadu and November 19 for Akpan.
In March 2019, Festus Keyamo, (SAN), filed a suit on behalf of the federal government seeking a temporary forfeiture of alleged undeclared assets traced to Ekweremadu.
Twenty-two properties were reportedly traced to the deputy senate president, nine in Nigeria, two in the UK, eight in Dubai and three are in the US.
The deputy senate president denied all the allegations.
Trials have commenced.
Calistus Obi, Ex-NIMASA DG in N136 million fraud
Mr. Calistus Obi is a former Acting Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), charged with an alleged N136 million fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) proffered an eight-count charge against Obi who was a former Executive Director, and later, a former acting D-G.
He was charged alongside one Alu Dismas, who was an aide to a former DG of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi.
The duo was arraigned before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of a Federal High Court in Lagos.
In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offences on August 5, 2014. On June 12, the case was adjourned to September 26, 2018, for continuation of trial following a letter by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, informing the court of his absence as he was before the National Judicial Council.
On June 3, 2019, the Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced the former acting Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Calistus Obi, who was charged with N225 million fraud to seven years imprisonment.
The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the judge that Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, in which Obi and Alu were convicted of violating, prescribed a maximum prison term of 14 years for an offender.
He said though the law permitted the judge to exercise discretion in sentencing, the minimum limit was seven years.
He, however, argued that Obi and Alu did not qualify to enjoy the court’s discretion because they allowed the judge to go through “the rigour of full-fledged trial” rather than own up and opt for plea bargain at the start of the case.
Oyedepo said Obi and Alu’s case had presented the judiciary with “an opportunity to send a clear signal to public servants and those entrusted with public offices not to breach the trust reposed in them.” The case is closed.
Read also:
High Profile Corruption: How Azibaola Allegedly Diverted $40m Meant For Special Forces Kits
[This Publication includes part of a compendium by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) covering corruption cases as at 22nd of November, 2019.