NIMASA: How N498.2m was pay out by Ex-NIMASA DG – EFCC witness

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Mrs. Olamide Odusanya, yesterday testified that ex-Nigeria Maritime and Safety Agency’s (NIMASA’s) Director-General Patrick Akpobolokemi approved N498,200,000, which was paid into various accounts.

According to The Nation, Odusanya, a NIMASA assistant director in the Financial Services Department, testified before Justice Raliat Adebiyi in a N754,740,680 fraud suit brought against Akpobolokemi and six others by the EFCC.

The others are Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Amechee Juan, Vincent Udoye, Captain Adegboyega Sahib Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants diverted N754.7 million meant for the implementation of Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Member State Audit Scheme at NIMASA.

Led in examination-in-chief yesterday by prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, Odusanya said NIMASA’s disbursements went to the President through the Office of the National Security Adviser.

But that Akpobolokemi as the agency’s chief accounting officer, all financial transactions were approved by him.

The witness said she was a ‘B’ signatory to two accounts owned by NIMASA’s Committee of Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS).

Akpolobokemi, she added, was an ‘A’ signatory to both accounts, one of which was with Access Bank.

“The accounting officer of NIMASA is the CEO, that is the DG. Payment instructions were approved by the D-G,” Odusanya said.

The witness identified the first to sixth defendant as former NIMASA officials, adding that the N498,200,000 was paid on August 29, 2014.

Referring to Akpobolokemi, she said: “The DG/CEO approved the payment. The approval is on the Electronic Payment Schedule: ‘Approved, please comply’”.

Odusanya identified Captain Ezekiel Agaba, former NIMASA executive director (Maritime Safety & Shipping Development) as the chairman of committee of VIMSAS.

She listed how money was disbursed into several accounts owned by different companies and persons.

On September 16, 2014, a memo from the office of the second defendant, Agaba, initiated the withdrawal of N3 million in favour of the third defendant, Nwakuche, Odusanya said.

She added that on September 29, there was a transfer of N1,400,000 to Lakewood Gardens Ventures Ltd, while N61,000,000 was transferred to Kofa Fada Nigeria Ltd, on October 30.

Odusanya confirmed that N6 million was withdrawn in favour of Nwakuche in two tranches of N3 million each on November 28 and December 17.

In 2015, Gama Marine Ltd got N39,450,000 on February 2, while Committee on Third Strategic Admiralty was paid N25,000,000.

“On May 20, 2015, N318,000,000 was paid into VIMSAS committee account. The money was approved by the first defendant,” the witness said.

She added that the payment was made to a UBA account. Odusanya identified all NIMASA memos and documents authorising the transactions before same were admitted as exhibits by the court.

Justice Adebiyi adjourned till today for continuation of trial.

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