Former service chief, others, charged for N22bn conversion

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(Nigeria) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday,  arraigned former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu and 10 others before a Federal High Court Lagos, over the conversion of N22.8 billion.
 Amosu was arraigned alongside AVM Jacob Adigun, Air Cmdr Gbadebo Owodunni and eight companies.
The companies are: Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil And Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites BDC, Fonds and Pricey Ltd and Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd.
Others are Timsegg Investment Ltd and Solomon Health Care Ltd.
The accused were arraigned on a 26-count charge before Justice Mohammed Idris.
They, however, all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
 After their pleas, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, sought a trial date and urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody pending the conclusion of the case.
Meanwhile, the counsel to Amosun, Mr Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, informed the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client.
He said it had also been served on the prosecution.
He further said that his client had refunded 'collossal sums' of money to the anti-graft agency and as such he should be granted bail by the court on self-recognition.
Other defence lawyers, Mr Norrison Quakers, SAN and Mr A. Etuokwu also said they had filed bail applications on behalf of their clients.
In his response, the prosecutor, while confirming the service of the bail applications on him, said he would not be opposing the applications.
He, however, urged the court to be mindful of the amount involved in the case and impose bail conditions that would compel the defendants to attend their trial.
In his ruling on the bail applications, Justice Idris held that in view of the fact that there was no counter affidavit to the applications; the court was disposed to granting bail to the accused persons.
The accused persons were later granted bail in the sum of N500 million each with two sureties each in like sum.
The sureties, according to the judge, must have landed properties within the court's jurisdiction and must deposit their title documents with the court's registrar for verification.
The sureties were also to depose to an affidavit of means, and deposit their international passport with the court's registrar.
He adjourned the matter to July 8 for commencement of trial.
In the charge, the accused were alleged to have converted various sums to the tune of over N22.8 billion for their personal use.
The defendants were also accused of using the sum of over N328 million from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force between March 21, 2014 and March 12, 2015, to purchase for themselves properties.
The offences were said to have contravened the provisions of Sections 15 (1), (3) and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

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