N8.5bn Fraud: Witness narrates how army general diverted N4.1bn NIMASA funds

A former Commander of the Military Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, in the Niger Delta, Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (retd.), has been reported to have diverted about N4.1 billion received from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

A prosecution witness, Arinze Ahijo Nkem, on Monday, June 19, 2017, told Justice A.O. Faji of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how the funds were diverted, according to Sahara Reporters.

Nkem, who is an Abuja businessman told the court that Atewe, while in office, transferred various sums of money from the JTF, Operation Pulo Shield account in Bayelsa State to him with a strict instruction forbidding him from touching it without further instructions.

He said: “I bought a guest house for JTF, Operation Pulo Shied for N170m upon instruction by Atewe. I once paid the sum of N297m to a company called CISCO Nobot Limited. I also paid N99m to Ocean Gaz Limited and another N88m to Lord Fem Nigeria Limited, which all belong to him( Atewe).”

While answering questions from the defense, Nkem admitted that the name of the first accused, Akpobolokemi, was not mentioned in the documents and no money was transferred to him.

Thereafter, counsel to Atewe, P.I. Nwankwo, asked for an adjournment on the grounds he would be appearing before the Court of Appeal tomorrow.

However, Oyedepo opposed the application for adjournment saying he wanted to present another witness who came from Abuja.

But Justice Faji adjourned the matter to June 27, 28 and 29, 2017 for continuation of trial.

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