EFCC slaps 22 fresh charges against former Niger Delta militant leader Tompolo

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials have filed 22 fresh charges against former Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo and 12 others involving money laundering.

 

Highly influential during the era of former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Tompolo was invited by the EFCC to visit its Lagos offices in December to answer charges relating to supply contracts he was given by the Jonathan administration. A Gbaramatu traditional titleholder in Ijawland, in Delta State, Tompolo was a major beneficiary of contracts under Dr Jonathan involving the protection if Nigeria's coastline and pipelines.

 

Tompolo, has however, shunned the EFCC invitation, prompting an Abuja magistrates court to issue a warrant for his arrest. This has already created some unrest in the Niger Delta with youths blowing up two major oil pipelines in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

 

Not deterred by the unrest, the EFCC has slammed fresh charges against Tompolo, accusing him and his co-accused of stealing, participating in advanced fee fraud and N22.77bn (£78.5m) and of money laundering. This is in addition to a separate 40-count of alleged N34bn fraud earlier filed against him and nine others by the commission.

 

Others listed as defendants in the fresh charge include former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Nimasa) director-general Patrick Akpobolokemi and four brothers Victor, Nobert, Emmanuel and Clement, who are still at large. Others include Kime Engozu, Josephine Otuaga, Rita Uruakpa, Pondi Kestin and seven companies Mieka Dive Training Institute, Oyeinteke Global Network, Wabod Global Resources, Boloboere Properties Estate, Gokaid Marine Oil and Gas, Muhaabix Global Services and Watershed Associated Resources.

 

They are said to have fraudulently converted various sums running into over N22.7bn stolen from Nimasa to their personal use between December 12, 2014 and April 10, 2015. They were also accused of defrauding the federal government by making false representations, in order to obtain money from the government.

 

These offences are said to be contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3)of the same Act. The charge sheet signed by lawyer Festus Keyamo also indicated that the suspects violated various sections of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 including its sections 15(3) and 18(a) and were liable to punishment under Section 15(3) of the same Act.