Mr Chukwudi Orji, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),on Mondayat an Ikeja High Court revealed in graphic details how a former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and five other staff members allegedly stole N754 million belonging to the agency.

Orji made the disclosure while testifying at the ongoing trial of Patrick Akpobolokemi, former Director-General of the Agency and six others on a 13-count charge bordering on stealing and fraud.

Akpobolokemi’s co-defendants are Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan, Vincent Udoye, Adegboyega Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited.

Orji told the court that Vimsat Committee, a committee of NIMASA, had opened an account in Zenith Bank and that the account hadonlytwo inflows.

He said: “On August 29, 2015, N498.4 million was paid into that account by NIMASA and on May 20, 2015, N318 million was also paid into that account by NIMASA.

“This gave the account a total inflow of N816.2 million. On September 29, 2015, there was a transfer of N11 million into the account of one Lakewood Garden Ventures Limited from the Vimsat Committee account.

“The money was never used for research work as it was mandated to be, and this money was part of the sharing formula of the defendants.”

Orji, explaining the role of Udoye, one of the defendants in the alleged scam, said:“On March 6, 2015, N7.8 million was transferred from Vimsat account into the Diamond Bank account with number 0020802815 of the fifth defendant (Udoye).

He further said: “On June 4, 2015, he transferred N5 million from that account into another Diamond Bank account with number 006567038 which was also operated by him.

“The N5 million transferred was fixed on the same day and was liquidated on September 2, 2014 and he was paid an interest of N24,000.

“The N5 million is still in his account as at the time the EFCC asked for his statement.

According to Orji, Udoye transferred N2.5 million into the bank account of Olopoenia, the sixth defendant.

“The N7.8 million disbursed by the defendants was part of funds gotten from Gama Marine Nigeria Limited but the funds were originally from the account of the Vimsat Committee in Zenith Bank.

“All these transfers were done in a bid to conceal the source of the funds,” the witness alleged.

Throwing more light on the role of Gama Marine Nigeria Limited in the alleged fraud, Orji said Olopoenia was a signatory to the account of Gama Marine.

According to him, N10 million was transferred to Udoye in six tranches from that account by Olopoenia, totalling N60 million.

“It was conceived to be used under the guise of award of contract to Gama Marine but there was no contract,” Orji alleged.

The investigator also told the court how another allegedly fake company, Arrow World Consulting Limited was used to transfer money from NIMASA by the defendants.

He saidNwakucheJuan were thesignatories to the account ofArrow World Consulting.

Orji said: “Our findings were that the accounts of Arrow World Consulting received the bulk sum from the Vimsat Committee account on February 12, 2015.

“They received N230 million and they received another N17 million from the account on May 6, 2015.

“Nwakuche and Juan used fictitious names while operating the Arrow World Consulting account. Nwakuche operated as Philip Emesike and Juan operated as Udoh Emakop.

“When we invited Nwakuche to our office, he confessed to be using the alias Philip Emesike, saying he used the name in bank documents.

“He explained to me and my team members that he used to sign as Emesike and he demonstrated to us how he used to sign the signature."

He said that N70 million was sent by Nwakuche into the bank account of Dorcas Nwakuche and amother N70 million paid into the bank account of Kadice Oil and Gas Limited.

“The third and fourth defendants also made various transfers to different accounts from the Arrow World Consulting account,” Orji testified.

He explained to the court how the EFCC uncovered the allegedly forged documents used to carry out bank transactions by Arrow World Consulting.

“Arrow World Consulting did not do any work for NIMASA, I personally led the team to visit the company’s address at 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria Island.

“I met the younger brother of the original owner of the company who was residing at the premises and I was told that the owner of the company had travelled out of the country.

“Shakespeare Solicitors, the lawyers to the real owner of Arrow World Consulting, came to the EFCC office with a power of attorney and made a statement.

“The lawyers commenced an action at the Ikeja High Court against Zenith Bank in which judgment was given in favour of the real owner of Arrow World Consulting.

“The real owner of Arrow World was awarded N10 million damages by Justice F. Bankole-Oki against Zenith Bank for opening the account without the consent of the owners. The number of that suit is LD/1872/CMW/2016.” Orji said.

Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, EFCC prosecutor, sought to tender as evidence, a letter written by Shakespeare Solicitors on the alleged fraud to the EFCC in which a copy of the judgment was attached.

Mr Seni Adio (SAN), counsel to Nwakuche, however, objected to the tendering of the letter as evidence, saying the letter was irrelevant to the charge of the defendants and also not part of the original proof of evidence.

Justice Raliatu Adebiyi, in her ruling, held that the letter was relevant to proceedings and was, therefore, admissible as evidence.

She adjourned the case toJuly 11for continuation of trial. (NAN)