By Vivian Okejeme
Abuja
The federal government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, re-arraigned a former governor of Adamawa state, Admiral Murtala Nyako (retd), his son, Abdullaziz Nyako, and seven others before a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly embezzling the sum of N40 billion while in office.
Nyako, his son, as well as Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms and Extension Limited, Pagoda Ventures Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited were arraigned on a 37-count charge before Justice Okon Abang.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read out to them.
Justice Abang ordered that the defendants should continue to enjoy the conditions of the earlier bail granted by late Justice Evoh Chukwu.
According to the trial judge, the request of the prosecutor that the defendants’ sureties should file a fresh affidavit cannot be granted because the prosecutor has failed to oppose the oral application made by the defendants.
He ruled that the court “cannot vary the condition of the bail earlier granted to the defendants.”
The court adjourned trial of the defendants till November 17 and 22, 2016.
The charges read among others:
“That you Murtala, Abdulaziz Nyako, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Limited Pagoda Fortunes Limited and Tower Assets Management Limited on or about March 9, 2012, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did convert the sum of N35 million to develop Hill View Estate, Mpape, Abuja, which sum was derived from the theft of the fund of Adamawa state government, routed through Amdak Investment Limited, Towers Assets Management Limited and Blue Opal Limited accounts, respectively, with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said sum and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 15(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
The defendants were first arraigned last year before late Justice Evoh Chukwu.