Land of scammers and schemers : How Ex-NAMA MD, Abdulsalam, Others Diverted N473.2m

Babatunde Adenekan, a prosecution witness in the case involving Ibrahim Abdulsalam, a former Managing Director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and others on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 told Justice Babs O. Kuewumi of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how the defendants allegedly diverted the sum of N473, 250,927(Four Hundred and Seventy-three Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty- seven Naira) from the agency’s accounts.

Abdulsalam, alongside Nnamdi Udoh (still at large), Adegorite Olumuyiwa, Agbolade Segun, Clara Aliche, Joy Ayodele Adegorite, Randville Invesment Limited and Multeng Travels and Tours Limited are facing trial on a 21-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The defendants had on August 19, 2013 allegedly conspired to induce NAMA to deliver the sum of N2.8billion to Delosa Limited, Air Sea Delivery Limited and Sea Schedules Systems Limited under the pretext that the money represented the cost of clearing NAMA’s consignments.

At the resumed hearing today, Adenekan, a Compliant Officer with Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, who testified as PW1, told the court that the defendants transferred the sum of N473, 250,927 (Four Hundred and Seventy-three Million, Two  Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty- seven Naira) from NAMA accounts to Multeng Travels and Tour Limited between January 17, 2012 and January 13, 2016.

It was further revealed that after the third defendant (Segun) transferred the funds from NAMA accounts to Multeng Travels and Tours Limited, the fifth defendant (Adegorite) would then transfer part of the money  to Multeng Engineering Services Limited, a  sister company to the ninth defendant.

The remaining amount was said to have been returned to Segun. Under cross-examination by counsel to both the fifth and ninth defendants, A. B. Onifade, Adenekan stated that he could not remember being asked by EFCC investigators any question in respect of the transactions from NAMA accounts to the Multeng Travels and Tours Limited.

Adenekan further said he was not aware if Multeng Travels and Tours had a registered Air transportation license. Onifade, thereafter, asked for an adjournment to enable him properly cross-examine the prosecution witness at the next adjourned date.
Consequently, Justice Kuewumi adjourned to October 23 and 30, 2017 for further hearing.  - EFCC