Justice Ibrahim Buba has dismissed a suit bordering on an alleged N34bn fraud filed by the Federal Government against the former Director-General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi and a firm known as Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, linked to a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo and 7 others.
In a ruling on a ’no-case submission, filed by the defendants, Justice Buba held that the prosecution “failed to establish a prima facie case” against the defendants. The other defendants in the case are Kime Engozu, Rex Elem, Gregory Mbonu and Warredi Enisuoh.
Three other firms – Odimiri Electrical Limited; Boloboere Property and Estate Limited; and Destre Consult Limited – were also listed as defendants in the criminal case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2015.
The EFCC had alleged that the defendants conspired to commit to their personal use, the money which was the property of NIMASA and had therefore committed an offence contrary to Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition (Amendment) Act of 2010
