Margaret Ekong, a witness in the trial of the former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime and Administration Agency (NIMASA) Patrick Akpobolokemi, has testified before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
She told Justice Ayokunle Faji on Tuesday that the defendant and his management team spent the agency’s N18 million meant for intelligence gathering on massage chairs for themselves. Ekon further explained that she had supplied three chairs to Akpobolokemi and he took delivery of them. According to her, he took one to his house in Banana Island, another to his mother’s house and the last one to his house in Delta State.
The witness also testified that the second defendant in the case, Captain Bala Agaba, took two chairs as well. Agaba, who was at the NIMASA Directorate of Intelligence Gathering at the time, is serving a seven-year jail term in relation to another charge bordering on breach of trust.
Led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Ekong reiterated that she submitted two companies’ names for the contract as requested by the then-NIMASA management. The chairs, according to her, were supplied in 2013 and payment was made in 2014 after series of reminders.
