In January, a court issued an arrest warrant for a former militant leader after he failed to appear to face corruption charges relating to 22 counts of fraud amounting to N47.6bn. After several appeals for Tompolo to appear and his refusal to do so, the Nigerian armed forces mounted a manhunt to find him but they too have been unsuccessful in locating the elusive militant.
With no sign of Tompolo appearing in person, the EFCC has decided to proceed with his prosecution and yesterday filed a case against him. Also arraigned in absentia in relation to the alleged fraud were six brothers of a former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (Nimasa) Patrick Akpobolokemi, named as Igo, Julius, Victor, Norbert, Emmanuel and Clement.
In court yesterday, Tompolo, Igo, Julius, Victor, Norbert, Emmanuel and Clement were declared as being now at large when the charges were read out. However, Mr Akpobolokemi himself, two females, Josephine Otuaga and Rita Uruakpa and one Kime Engozu, who were also listed as defendants in the amended charge, were present in court to answer to the charges.
Other defendants in the charge were six companies named as Mieka Dive Training Institute/GTE, Oyeinteke Global Network, Wabod Global Resources, Boloboere Properties Estate, Gokaid Marine Oil and Gas and Watershed Associated Resources. Charges they face border on conspiracy, advanced fee fraud and money laundering.
In one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired among themselves to defraud the federal government between December 2, 2014 and April 10, 2015, by inducing it to deliver N11.9bn to them. Also, the EFCC claimed that the accused persons induced the federal government by falsely pretending that a parcel of land and its appurtenances situated at Mieka Dive Training Institute, Kurutie, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State had been acquired by Nimasa for the temporary campus of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.
Mr Akpobolokemi and his accomplices pleaded not guilty to all the charges and presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, subsequently admitted them to bail. Mr Akpobolokemi, who had earlier been arraigned along with others by the EFCC at two different times before Justice Buba, was allowed to continue with a bail granted him by the judge on March 22, 2016.
Mr Engozu, who had also been earlier arraigned, was also allowed to continue with the bail granted him on March 22, 2016. Ms Otuaga and Ms Uruakpa were granted a N50m bail each with one surety in like sum.
In addition, the judge said the surety must be resident in Lagos and must own a developed landed property and swear to an affidavit of means. Also, the defendants and the sureties were asked to submit their passport photographs to the court, while further proceedings in the case were adjourned till May 30 and 31.
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