Court Finds Ex-NIMASA Acting DG, Obi Guilty
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted a former Acting Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) Callistus Nwabueze Obi for corruption.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on Thursday found Obi guilty of money laundering charges but adjourned proceedings until Tuesday, May 28, 2019 for sentencing.
Obi was arraigned on April 12, 2016 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on eight counts of converting N378,810,000 from NIMASA into personal use and other unofficial purposes
Obi, a former NIMASA Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Service was charged alongside Dismass Alu Adoon, Grand Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment Limited.
He took over as Acting Director General from Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi, who is also facing five separate charges of fraud and theft.
According to the charge sheet before Justice Olatoregun, count one reads: “That you, Calistus Nwabueze Obi and Dismass Alu Adoon on or about the 5th day of August 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Conversion of the sums of N111,000,000, property of NIMASA, knowing that the said sums were proceeds of stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
The EFCC had accused Obi, Global Seal and Grand Pact of converting N42,755,000.00 on December 24, 2013.
The anti-graft agency stated Obi, on May 2, 2013, converted for personal use N25,000,000, as well as N46.3 million being ‘proceeds of stealing’ between April 1 and December 11, 2014.