Ohakim, Nyako, son remanded in EFCC custody ‘…ex-Adamawa gov, others embezzled N29bn; Ohakim N270m’

Firstclass newsline gathered that the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission on Wednesday arraigned former governors of Adamawa State,
Murtala Nyako, and Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, before the Federal High
Court in Abuja for alleged fraud charges.
Nyako, who was removed as Adamawa State Governor by the state House of
Assembly on July 15, 2014, was arraigned along with his son,
Abdul-Aziz, and others comprising, Zulkifikk Abba, Abubakar Aliyu as
well as five firms.
Abdul-Aziz is the senator representing Adamawa Central in the National Assembly.
Nyako, his son and others were arraigned before Justice Evoh Chukwu
for fraud amounting to N29,099,430,879.92.
Other firms arraigned along with Nyako and his son, were Blue Opal
Limited, Sebore Farms and Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited,
Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts and the
judge subsequently ordered that they be remanded in the EFCC custody
pending the hearing of their bail applications.
Simultaneously, the EFCC arraigned Ohakim, who was governor of Imo
State between May 2007 and May 2011, on three counts of money
laundering. He was accused of making cash payment of $2,290,000 (an
equivalent of N270,000,000) for the purchase of a property at 60,
Kwame Nkrumah Street, at Plot No 1098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro
District, Abuja.
In the counts 1 to 13 of the charge FHC/ABJ/CR/293/15 filed on July 7,
2015, against Nyako and others, the EFCC alleged that between
September 26, 2011 and May 31, 2012, the accused persons converted to
their personal use a sum of N1.845bn claimed to be funds belonging to
the Adamawa State Government.
The accused allegedly "routed" the money through Admak Investment
Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Blue Opal Limited
accounts "with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the money"
thereby committing an offence under section 15 (1)(a) of the Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
In counts 14 to 23, the prosecution alleged that between February 2011
and December 2014, the accused persons "collaborated in disguising the
genuine origin" of a total of N24.725bn said to have been "derived
from cheques 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.
The accused persons allegedly kept the money under the control of Iro
"for private use as against the official use with the aim of
concealing the illicit origin of the said sum," thereby committing an
offence under section 15(1)(b) ) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition)
Act, 2011.
In counts 24 to 29, the prosecution alleged that Nyako and others
between February 9, 2013 and July 22, 2013, "by false pretence and
with intent to defraud, induced the Adamawa State Government to
deliver" a total sum of N846m to one Sebore Farms and Extension
Limited in the name of maintaining peace and security in the state.
The alleged offences were contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee
Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under
section 1(3) of the same Act.
In counts 30 to 35, Nyako and his co-accused were accused of lodgments
of money totalling about N836m derived from the stealing of Adamawa
State Government's money into the account of Sebore Farms and
Extension Limited with Zenith Bank Plc.
It was alleged that the money was paid into Sebore Farms' account
between February 9, 2012 and July 22, 2013 in the name of maintaining
peace and security in the state and was placed under Iro's control
"for private use as against the official use with the aim of
concealing the illicit origin of the said money."
In counts 36 and 37, the accused persons allegedly between February 9,
2012 and July 22, 2013 conspired among themselves and did "by false
pretence and with the intent to defraud the Adamawa State Government
delivered N847m to Sebore Farms and Extension" in the name of
maintaining peace and security in the state.
The sum of N847m was said to have been converted to a manager's cheque
in favour of Apo Federal Housing Authority, Abuja, constituting an
offence under section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related
Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
Ohakim also pleaded not guilty to the three counts of money laundering
charges involving alleged making cash payment of $2,290,000 (an
equivalent of N270,000,000) for the purchase of a property at 60,
Kwame Nkrumah Street, at Plot No 1,098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro
District, Abuja.
The former governor, who was accused of making the cash payment in
November 2008, was also accused of collaborating with Tweenex
Consociates H.D. Ltd. to conceal or disguise the ownership of the
property which was allegedly derived from an illegal act.
The fraud was allegedly perpetrated by the former governor "by
instructing the drafting and signing of a sales agreement over the
said property between one Mukhtari Isa Maidabino and Tweenex
Consciates H.D. Limited and also a tenancy agreement between Tweenex
Consociates H.D. Ltd. and Chief Ikedi Ohakim over the same property"
on November 14, 2008.
The first and second counts were said to have violated section
15(1)(d) and section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition)
Act, 2004, respectively.
In the third count, Ohakim was accused of failing to make a full
disclosure of his assets by not declaring his ownership of the said
property while he was under arrest by the EFCC on January 26, 2013.
The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Yusuf Aliyu, had immediately
after Nyako and his co-accused pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts,
called the first prosecution witness to enter the witness box.
But the defence counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), pleaded for time to
get familiarised with the charge which he said was just served on him
on Tuesday.
The EFCC counsel also said he needed time to respond to the bail
application filed by the accused persons.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola also adjourned hearing of the bail application
filed by Ohakim, who is being prosecuted by Festus Keyamo, till
Thursday (today).
In the separate proceedings, Justice Chukwu and Justice Ademola
ordered the accused persons to be remanded in the EFCC custody pending
the hearing of their bail applications.
Firstclassnewsline.net