A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday revoked the bail of Alu Dismas, the second accused person in the ongoing trial of a former acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), following his late arrival in court.
Dismas broke down in tears as a visibly displeased Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, ordered that the accused person be taken to prison. Arguing that the court could not wait for an accused person, the judge lamented that Dismas had formed the habit of reporting late for his trial.
Calistus Obi, a former director general of NIMASA is standing trial with Dismas over alleged N136 million fraud. Dismas is a former personal assistant to ex-NIMASA DG, Patrick Akpobolokemi. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had preferred an 8 count charge against Dismas and Obi, who was a former executive director, and later, acting DG of the agency They had, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were admitted to bail in the sum of N5 million each with sureties in like sums. The EFCC had closed the case for the prosecution on January 31, 2017, while the defence fi led a no case submission in answer to the case of the prosecution.
The court had dismissed the no case submissions on February 21, 2017, and had ordered the defence to open its case. Yesterday, the court sat at exactly 9.am, and when the case was called, the first accused (Obi) was present, while Dismas was yet to arrive.
The case was stood down until 10:35am, when the second accused eventually walked into the courtroom. Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, who was obviously displeased with the lateness of the accused, consequently revoked his bail.
