A Lagos Federal High Court, has ordered the remand of a former Commander of Joint Task Force, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, and two other accused persons in Prisons Custody.
The other two accused persons ordered to be remanded in Prisons Custody alongside the army General are: Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga.
The court's remand order the trio was sequel to their arraignment alongside former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi, before the court presided over by Justice Saliu Saidu on 11 count charges bordering on conspiracy, fraud, stealing and fraudulent conversation of the sum of N19. 744, 041, 556 billion, to their personal use.
Justice Saidu, after the argument of their bail applications by lawyers to the accused persons led by Matthew Ukah, Chief Mike Ezekhome (SAN) and Chief U.P.E. Nnaji.
Ukah who represented Akpolobokemi, had urged the court to allow his client to continue to enjoy the bail conditions earlier granted his in other two criminal charges before the court.
While Cheif Ezekhome who represented General Atewe, urged the court to admit him bail of self-recognizance, being a serving Army General.
And lawyer to the third and fourth, Chief Nnaji also urged the court to admit his clients bail on very liberal terms.
But Justice Saidu while ruling on the bail applications, admitted the Army General, Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga, to bail in the sum of N100 million with two sureties each.
One of the sureties according to the presiding Judge must be a blood relation to the accused persons, while he pronounced that the second surety must be a Deputy-Director in the Federal of Lagos State Civil Service.
The judge also ordered that the sureties to the Army General and the third and fourth accused persons must deposit their land tittle documents and passport photograph with the court's Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR). Adding that the three accused persons must submit their international passport with the DCR.
The Judge however ordered that the three accused persons be remanded in Prisons Custody pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
Akpolobokemi, Major General Atewe, and the other two accused persons, are charged before Justice Saliu Saidu's led Court on 11 counts charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud, stealing and fraudulent conversation of the sum of N19. 744, 041, 556 billion, to their personal use.
The anti-graft agency in a charge marked FHC/L/C/217C/16, alleged that the former JTF Commander and other three accused persons, had between 2014 and 2015, in Lagos, used six companies, namely: Jagan Trading Company Limited, Al-Nald Limited, Jagan Limited, De-Newlink integrated Services Limited, Paper Warehouse Limited, and Jagan Global Services Limited, to commit the alleged acts.
Count one of the charge reads; "that Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga, sometimes in 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court with intent to defraud conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Conversion of the sum of N 8, 537,586,798.58 (Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Eight Naira, Fifty Eight Kobo), property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
While the count eleven of the change reads; "that you, Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga, between the 5th day of September, 2014 and 22nd May,2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court, with intent to defraud stole by fraudulently converting to your own use the sum of N1,147,723,362.42 (One Billion, One Hundred and Forty Seven Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty Two Naira, Forty Two Kobo), through Jagan Trading Company Ltd, property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C. 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004".
The alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 18(a), 15(1), 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act, and Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C. 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The other two accused persons ordered to be remanded in Prisons Custody alongside the army General are: Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga.
The court's remand order the trio was sequel to their arraignment alongside former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi, before the court presided over by Justice Saliu Saidu on 11 count charges bordering on conspiracy, fraud, stealing and fraudulent conversation of the sum of N19. 744, 041, 556 billion, to their personal use.
Justice Saidu, after the argument of their bail applications by lawyers to the accused persons led by Matthew Ukah, Chief Mike Ezekhome (SAN) and Chief U.P.E. Nnaji.
Ukah who represented Akpolobokemi, had urged the court to allow his client to continue to enjoy the bail conditions earlier granted his in other two criminal charges before the court.
While Cheif Ezekhome who represented General Atewe, urged the court to admit him bail of self-recognizance, being a serving Army General.
And lawyer to the third and fourth, Chief Nnaji also urged the court to admit his clients bail on very liberal terms.
But Justice Saidu while ruling on the bail applications, admitted the Army General, Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga, to bail in the sum of N100 million with two sureties each.
One of the sureties according to the presiding Judge must be a blood relation to the accused persons, while he pronounced that the second surety must be a Deputy-Director in the Federal of Lagos State Civil Service.
The judge also ordered that the sureties to the Army General and the third and fourth accused persons must deposit their land tittle documents and passport photograph with the court's Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR). Adding that the three accused persons must submit their international passport with the DCR.
The Judge however ordered that the three accused persons be remanded in Prisons Custody pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
Akpolobokemi, Major General Atewe, and the other two accused persons, are charged before Justice Saliu Saidu's led Court on 11 counts charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud, stealing and fraudulent conversation of the sum of N19. 744, 041, 556 billion, to their personal use.
The anti-graft agency in a charge marked FHC/L/C/217C/16, alleged that the former JTF Commander and other three accused persons, had between 2014 and 2015, in Lagos, used six companies, namely: Jagan Trading Company Limited, Al-Nald Limited, Jagan Limited, De-Newlink integrated Services Limited, Paper Warehouse Limited, and Jagan Global Services Limited, to commit the alleged acts.
Count one of the charge reads; "that Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga, sometimes in 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court with intent to defraud conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Conversion of the sum of N 8, 537,586,798.58 (Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Eight Naira, Fifty Eight Kobo), property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
While the count eleven of the change reads; "that you, Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga, between the 5th day of September, 2014 and 22nd May,2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court, with intent to defraud stole by fraudulently converting to your own use the sum of N1,147,723,362.42 (One Billion, One Hundred and Forty Seven Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty Two Naira, Forty Two Kobo), through Jagan Trading Company Ltd, property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C. 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004".
The alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 18(a), 15(1), 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act, and Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C. 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The matter has been adjourned till June 24, 2016, for commencement of trial of all accused persons.
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