The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has urged a Federal High Court in Lagos to decline granting permission for overseas medical trip to one of the seven officials of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency being tried for an alleged fraud of N2.8bn in the agency.
The EFCC had on 12th April 2016 arraigned the Managing Director of NAMA, Ibrahim Abdusalam, and six other officials of the agency 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 counts 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 for their private use.
According to the EFCC, the accused persons acted contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud . Offences Act, 2006 and were liable to punishment under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
They were also accused of violating Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and liable to punishment under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
But upon reading the charges to them, they pleaded not guilty following which the court admitted them to a N20m bail each with one surety in like sum.
They were also ordered to deposit their passports in the custody of the court pending the conclusion of the trial.
On Tuesday, however, the fifth defendant, Adegorite, appeared in court with her lawyer, Mr. A.B. Onifade, with an application seeking the release of her passport to enable her travel to Dubai for medical treatment.
Onifade told Justice Kuewumi that his client was suffering from acute sinusitis and hypertensive heart disease.
