How ex-CAS, others diverted Air Force N2bn fund – EFCC witness
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission witness Okechukwu Akube, on Wednesday, told a Federal High Court in Lagos how N2bn was allegedly diverted from the Nigerian Air Force Special Emergency Account to a property in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The witness disclosed this while giving evidence at the continuation of the trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, and two others over alleged N21bn fraud.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Wednesday, Akube who was the first prosecution witness was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
EFCC on November 13, 2018, re-arraigned Amosu alongside a former Chief of Account and Budgeting, Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun and a former Director of Finance and Budgeting, Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni, on an amended 13-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N21bn.
The defendants are being prosecuted for alleged conspiracy and conversion of the funds belonging to the NAF to personal use.
The witness narrated how the N2bn was transferred from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency into the NAF Special Emergency Account on September 15, 2014, and September 23, 2014, respectively.
Oyedepo asked the witness to disclose his findings regarding where the funds deposited in Exhibit A3 (the statement of account of the NAF Special Emergency Account) ended up.
Responding, Akube stated that several transfers were made into the accounts of three firms: Delfina Oil and Gas Limited, McAllan Oil And Gas Limited, and Trapezites BDC.
He added that other sums from the three firms were sent to Divention Construction Limited.
Also, when questioned about his findings during the investigation of the alleged crimes, the witness explained that after the inflows from NIMASA were received, “Divention Construction Limited was one of the recipients of the funds.’’
(Punch)
