N6.9B NAMA scam: N855M traced to defendant’s account

A witness in the ongoing trial of Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Abdulsalam Ibrahim today informed the Federal High Court Lagos how the sixth defendant Bola Akinribido and the second defendant Segun Agbolade connived and diverted the sum of N855, 000, 000.95 property of NAMA.

At the last adjourned date, the witness Babatunde Adelekan had disclosed that between August 2013 and September 2015 there was an inflow of N837, 221, 137 from the account of NAMA to the account of Delosa Limited, a company owned by the seventh accused person, Abiodun Sesebor and subsequently to the accounts of the second, third, eight defendants and the relatives of the sixth defendant.

The beneficiaries of this fraudulent disbursement were Randville Investment Limited and Multeng Travels and Tours Limited, Bmilade Sesebor, Osagie Sesebor and Osaretun Sesebor.

At the resumed hearing today, Adelekan revealed before the court how a whooping of N855, 000, 000.92 ended in the pocket of the third defendant Agbolade through the account statement of Akinrinbido that, whenever he received money from NAMA, same amount was transferred into the bank account of Agbolade who is the General Manager in NAMA while Akinrinbido works in the ICT department of the agency.

Agbolade and Akinrinbido are standing trial alongside ten others including Ibrahim for allegedly stealing the sum of N6, 922, 676, 815 from the NAMA. Upon their arraignment they pleaded not guilty.

One of the charge read that, “you Ibrahim Abdulsalam , Nnamdi Udoh (still at large), Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche, Joy Ayodele Adegorite, Sesebor Abiodun, Randville Investment Limited and Multeng Travels and Tours Limited, Bola Akinrinbido, Delosa Limited, Airsea Delivery Limited and Sea Schedule System Limited on or about the August 19^th, 2013 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud conspired among yourselves to induce the NAMA to deliver the sum of N2, 847, 523, 975. 00 to Delosa Limited, Air Sea Delivery Limited and Sea Schedules System Limited under the pretense that the said sum represented the cost of clearing consignments belonging to the said agency and you are thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8 (a) of the Advanced fee fraud and other fraud related offences act 2006 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the same Act.”

The case was adjourned to September 21 and 22, 2016 for continuation trial.

Wole Shadare