•Relatives Condemn Act, Say "APC witch hunting our brother"
Embattled former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi was re-arrested at the premises of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday, shortly after his case was adjourned to January 2016.
In a surprising development, the former DG who had earlier been granted bail was re-arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) just as he stepped outside the court.
Akpobolokemi’s lawyers and relatives who were in court could only stand in shock at the turn of events.
They later condemned the incident and vowed to challenge it in court.
Relatives of the ex-NIMASA boss described the act by the EFCC as witch-hunting from the All Progressive Congress (APC) government, saying that it is being orchestrated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Justice Ibrahim Buba had earlier fixed Jan. 18, 2016 for his trial along with five others.
Akpobolokemi is standing trial alongside Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Amaechi Juan and two companies– Blockz and Stonez Ltd. and Al-Kenzo Logistic Ltd., on a 22-count charge.
The accused were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They were first arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu of the same court, on Dec. 3, on a 30-count charge bordering on conversion and stealing.
They were again arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba on Dec. 4 on a fresh 22-count charge, also bordering on conversion and theft.
They had all pleaded not guilty to the charge and justice Buba had granted them bail in the sum of N50 million each, with two sureties each in like sum.
The court had also ordered the accused to sign an undertaking not to unnecessarily delay speedy trial.
Buba had then adjourned the case for trial.
When the case was called yesterday, counsel to the third, fifth, and sixth accused, Mr Seni Adio, informed the court that he required some time to prepare for trial, having been briefed.
He, therefore, prayed the court for time to peruse the documents and prepare for trial.
The prayer for adjournment was also adopted by counsel to the other accused.
Consequently, Buba adjourned the case till Jan. 18 for trial.
In the charge sheet jointly signed by Mr Festus Keyamo and Mr Rotimi Iseoluwa, the accused were said to have committed the alleged offences between December 2013 and March 2014.
The prosecution alleged that in February 2014 in Lagos, the accused persons conspired to convert about N437 million belonging to NIMASA.
They were said to have on January 9, 2014 converted to their private use, about N66 million, and between April and August 2014, converted the sums of N21 million and N53 million respectively, also to their use.
The total sum of money allegedly converted by the accused was said to have amounted to about N2.6 billion.
The offence, according to the prosecution, contravenes the provisions of sections, 15 (1), 15 (3) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012.
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