By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A former acting Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Calistus Obi, was on Monday, June 3, sentenced to seven years imprisonment on each of the six counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over fraud.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of Federal High Court Lagos Nigeria had found him guilty on money laundering offences and conversion of NIMASA funds to himself.
The judge however gave the convict an option of fine in all the counts.
The EFCC had charged Obi along with one Alu Dismas, who was an aide to a former D-G of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, on eight counts of N136 million fraud.
Also charged were two companies, Grand Pact Ltd and Global Seal Investment Ltd as third and fourth defendants.
On May 23, the court had convicted the defendants, after it found them guilty of allegations contained in the charge.
The court had accordingly, found the first defendants guilty of the charge, and convicted them accordingly
Sentencing them on Monday, Olatoregun noted that it was not in doubt as was made to understand that the prisons were full, congested and unconducive for human habitation which neccesitated the consideration of a non custodian sentence.
The court however, reiterated the need for the punishment to send a warning signal to others.
Consequently, she sentenced the convicts as follows:
On counts two the convicts were sentenced to Seven years imprisonment each, or an option of N7 million fine.
On counts three, Seven years imprisonment each or an option of N7 million fine.
On counts Four, Seven years imprisonment each or an option of N7 million fine.
On counts Five, the court sentenced the two companies to pay a fine of N10 million each, but made no forfeiture orders against them.
On counts Six, the court sentenced the first convict to seven years imprisonment or an option of N7million fine.
On counts Seven, the court sentenced the first convict, to seven years imprisonment with an option of N7million fine.
While on counts Eight, the court sentenced the first convict to seven years imprisonment with an option of N7million fine.
The Court held that the terms of imprisonment shall run concurrently, while the fine shall be computed cumulatively.
EFCC had closed the case for the prosecution on January 31, 2017, while the defence filed a no-case submission.
The court, had however, dismissed the no-case submission on February 21, 2017, and ordered the defence to open its case.
According to the charge, the convicts committed the offences on August 5, 2014.
According to prosecution, the convicts conspired to convert the money from NIMASA, with knowledge that same were proceeds of stealing.
The offence, the EFCC said, contravened the provisions of Sections 15 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibitions (Amendment) Act, 2012.
