Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rearraigned the former governor of Adamawa state, Admiral Murtala Nyako (retd), his son, Abdulaziz Nyako and seven others before a Federal High Court in Abuja, for allegedly embezzling the sum of N40Billion while in office.
The accused persons alongside 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 who were first arraigned last year before Justice Evoh Chukwu before his demise pleaded not guilty to all the count charges when it was read out to them.
Following their plea, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang ordered that the defendants should continue to enjoy the conditions of the earlier bail granted by late justice Chukwu.
He said, that the request of the prosecutor that the defendant’s sureties should file a fresh affidavit cannot be granted because the prosecutor has failed to oppose the oral application made by the defendants.
Besides, Justice Abang ruled that the court cannot vary the condition of the bail earlier granted to the defendants.
The court adjourned trial of the defendants to November 17 and 22, 2016.
Part of the charges read: That you Murtala, Abdulaziz Nyako, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Limited Pagoda Fortunes Limited and Tower Assets Management Limited on or about 9th March 2012 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did convert the sum of N35,000,000 to develop Hill View Estate Mpape, Abuja, which sun 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 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.
That you That you Murtala, Abdulaziz Nyako, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Limited Pagoda Fortunes Limited and Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust energy limited between January and Dec 2012, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did collaborate in disguising the genuine origin of an aggregate sum of N10,693,800,000 which were derived from the theft of Adamawa State government funds from cheques issued on the name of special Services Department / Mary P and illegally placed under the control of Ma’aji Iro, the then regional manager of Zenith Bank PLC, North-East Nigeria for private use as against the official use with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said sum and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 15(1)(b)of the money laundering (prohibition) Act,2011.
That you Murtala, Abdulaziz Nyako, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Limited Pagoda Fortunes Limited and Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust energy limited between January and Dec 2012 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did collaborate in disguising the genuine origin of an aggregate sum of N6,366,280,000 which sum you reasonably ought to have known to be proceeds of an unlawful act to wit; money’s derived from the theft of Adamawa State government funds from cheque issued in the name of special Services Department / Mary P and illegally placed under the control of Ma’aji Iro, the then regional manager of Zenith Bank PLC, North-East Nigeria for private use as against the official use with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said sum and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 15(2)(a)and(6) of the money laundering (prohibition) Act,2012, and punishable under Section 15 (3)of the same act.
