By Lukman Olabiyi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecution witness, Toyin Owobo, in the trial of former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd), and 10 others over an alleged fraud of N22.8 billion, has given account of how N677,6777,085 was allegedly diverted from the coffers of the Nigerian Air Force between March 2014 and April 2015.
The witness, who is an official of the EFCC, gave the account yesterday before Justice Muhammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
In his evidence, Owobo gave detailed how the funds were moved in several tranches into the Ecobank account of a company, Hebron Housing and Property Company Ltd.
Ten others standing trial alongside Amosu, include former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting, NAF, Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun, and former Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo. Yet others are companies allegedly used in diverting the sum, including Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd., McAllan Oil and Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Property Company Ltd., Trapezites BDC, Fonds and Pricey Ltd., Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd., Timsegg Investment Ltd., and Solomon Health Care Ltd.
The 11 defendants were arraigned before Justice Idris on June 29, 2016, but they pleaded not guilty to the 26 counts pressed against them.