By Lukman Olabiyi
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu Nunayon (retd), two senior serving Air Force officers and eight companies before the Federal High Court, Lagos on 23-count charge of fraud, money laundering and stealing.
The two serving senior Air Force Officers docked alongside Amosu are Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun, and Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga. The companies are Delfina Oil and Gas Limited, McAllan Oil and Gas Limited, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Limited, Trapezitrs Bureau De Change (TBDC), Fonds and Pricey Limited, Deegee Oil and Gas Limited, Timsegg Investment Limited, and Solomon Health Care Limited.
They allegedly committed the offences between March 5, 2014, and May 4, 2015.
The three officers allegedly converted several billions of Naira belonging to the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) to their personal use.
According to the charge, the acconverted N21,467,634,707.43, property of the Air Force, which sum was derived from stealing to their personal use.cused persons were alleged to have
They were also alleged to have between May 5, 2014 and May 4, 2015 in Lagos, indirectly converted N5, 291, 306, 950.28, property of the Nigerian Air Force to their personal use.
Amosu, Adigun and Olugbenga, allegedly between July 17 and September 16, 2014, used the British Pounds Sterling equivalent of N663, 443,291, removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for themselves two properties at 50-52 Tenterden Grove, London (NW41TH) and 93B Shirehall Park, London NW4 2QU, United Kingdom.
The offences according to the EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, are contrary to Sections 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
They pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor urged the court for accelerated hearing, and also applied that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of the charge.
However, defence lawyers, Mr. Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), Mr. Norris Quakers (SAN), and A. Etuokwu, urged the court to ignore the application and prayed the court to hear the bail applications of the accused persons.
However, the prosecution did not oppose the bail application of their clients.
Justice Muhammed Idris granted bail to each of the accused person for N500 million with two sureties.
“ The sureties must be property owners within the jurisdiction of the court, and title documents of the properties must be submitted to the court’s Registrar, which must be verified by the EFCC.”
Justice Idris ordered that the sureties must sworn to affidavit of means which must be verified by the EFCC.
Justice Idris adjourned the matter to July 8 for trial. The court ordered that Amosu and Olugbenga be remanded in prisons custody, while Adigun be kept at EFCC’s custody, because of his state of health, pending the perfection of their bail conditions.