A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted a former Acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Calistus Obi for money laundering
Mr Obi was convicted along with Alu Dismas, a former personal assistant to his predecessor, Patrick Akpobolokemi by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on a charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge adjourned the case till May 28 for sentencing and ordered that the duo be remanded in prison custody pending sentencing.
The EFCC had arraigned Obi on April 12, 2016, on eight counts of conspiracy, conversion and money laundering of the sum of n136 million from NIMASA.
Although the court discharged and acquitted the defendants for conspiracy owing to the failure of the prosecutor to prove it, they were, however, convicted of conversion and money laundering.
Count one reads: “That you, Calistus Nwabueze Obi and Dismas Alu Adoon on or about the 5th day of August 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Conversion of the sums of N111,000,000, property of NIMASA, knowing that the said sums were proceeds of stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Mr Obi, Global Seal and Grand Pact were said to have converted N42,755,000.00 on December 24, 2013.
The EFCC said Mr Obi, on May 2, 2013, converted N25,000,000, as well as N46.3million being “proceeds of stealing” between April 1 and December 11, 2014.
