By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi Lagos has adjourned till June 7 and 8 for continuation of trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, and two others over alleged N21 billion fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on November 13, 2018, re-arraigned Amosu alongside Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun, an Ex- Chief of Account and Budgeting; and Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni, a former Director of Finance and Budgeting, on an amended 13-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N21 billion.
The defendants are being prosecuted by the EFCC for alleged conspiracy and conversion of the funds belonging to the NAF to their personal use.
At the resumed trial of the defendants on Wednesday, an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Okechukwu Akube, told the court that the defendants used the sum of N2 billion, being part of the funds allegedly diverted from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Special Emergency Account to a property in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Akube, who was the first prosecution witness (PW1), was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, (SAN).
Akube narrated how the N2 billion was transferred from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), into the NAF Special Emergency Account on September 15 and 23, 2014, respectively.
Oyedepo asked the witness to disclose his findings regarding where the funds deposited in Exhibit A3 (statement of account of the NAF Special Emergency Account) ended up.
Responding, Akube stated that several transfers were made into the accounts of three firms: Delfina Oil And Gas Limited; McAllan Oil And Gas Limited, and Trapezites BDC, adding that other sums from the three firms were sent to Divention Construction Limited.
Also, when further asked about his findings during the investigation of the alleged crimes, the witness explained that after the inflows from NIMASA were received, “Divention Construction Limited was one of the recipients of the funds.“
According to him, further investigations revealed that part of the proceeds of the crime was used to procure a property, at No. 40A, Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi, Lagos on behalf of the second defendant for personal use.
At this point, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke adjourned till June 7 and 8, 2023 for the continuation of trial.
One of the counts against the defendants reads: “That you, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun Nunayon (Retd.), Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun, and Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga, on or about the 5th day of March 2014 in Lagos, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the sum of N21,467,634,707.43, notes property of the Nigerian Air Force, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: criminal breach of trust, and hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 ( as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
They had pleaded not guilty after hearing the charge preferred against them. They have been on bail while attending the court for their trial.
