By Jerry Uwah
Lagos
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday urged a Federal High Court in Lagos to reject a request for permission for overseas medical trip made by one of the seven officials of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), standing trial for an alleged fraud of N2.8bn in the agency.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, argued that the application was designed to frustrate the trial, adding that the accused person, who is wife of one of the NAMA officials being tried by the court, could jump bail.
The managing director of NAMA, Ibrahim Abdusalam, and six other officials of the agency were arraigned on April 12, 2016, for an alleged fraud of N2.8bn perpetrated within NAMA between August 2013 and January 2016.
Those arraigned with Abdusalam before Justice Babs Kuewumi are Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche, Joy Adegorite, Bola Akinribido and Sesebor Abiodun.
Also joined as defendants are five companies, namely: Randville Investment Limited; Multeng Travels and Tours Limited; Delosa Limited; Airsea Delivery Limited and Sea Schedule System Limited.
The 21-count charge pressed against the accused persons bordered on conspiracy, advanced fee fraud and money laundering.
Among other things, they were accused of inducing NAMA to deliver part of the N2.8bn in several tranches to three companies – Delosa Ltd, Air Sea Delivery Ltd and Sea Schedules Systems Ltd – under the pretense that the money was the cost of clearing some consignments belonging to NAMA.
They were also accused of fraudulently converting part of the money to their private use.
After hearing the arguments of the two parties, Justice Kuewumi fixed July 15, 2016 for ruling on the application.
