The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned the Managing Director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Ibrahim Abdulsalam,for stealing.
Abdulsalam is charged alongside six others with stealing and conversion of the agency ‘smoney amounting to N6.8 billion.
The other accused are: Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche, Joy Adegorite, and two companies — Randville investment Ltd, Multeng Travels and Tours Ltd.
The EFCC had on April 7, arraigned the NAMA boss, three directors of the agency and the wife of one of the directors.
They had pleaded not guilty to the charge, while the judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, had adjourned for the hearing of their bail applications.
On Tuesday, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of an amended charge including the names of two more accused.
Those included in the amended charge are: Bola Akinribido and Sesebor Abiodun.
He urged the court for the charge to be re-read to the accused for their pleas.
All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After their pleas, counsel to the first accused, Mr O. Akoni (SAN), moved an application for bail of all the accused persons.
He urged the court to admit them to bails on liberal terms.
Ruling on the bail applications, Justice Kuewumi granted them bail in the sum of N20 million each with one surety each in like sum.
He added that the sureties must have landed property within the court’s jurisdiction which must be verified by the court’s registry and the prosecution.
The judge, however, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
He adjourned the case till April 27 and April 28.
In the charge, the EFCC alleged that on Aug. 19, 2013, the accused conspired to induce NAMA to deliver the sum of N2.8 billion to Delosa Ltd, Air Sea Delivery Ltd and Sea Schedules Systems Ltd.
It was alleged that the delivery was under the pretence that the money represented the cost of clearing NAMA’s consignments.
It was also alleged that between Jan. 2 and Dec. 17, 2013, the defendants converted N191 million belonging to NAMA to personal use.
They were said to have also converted N728 million between 2013 and 2015, as well as other sums.
The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3).
