The Federal Government on Tuesday arraigned the immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Emeka Mba and three others before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in a N2.9 billion fraud.
Mba is facing an amended 15-count charge alongside the Director of Finance and Accounts, .Patrick Areh, Basil Udotai and Babatunji Amure.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to them, after which, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Ben Ikani and the defence team lead by Mr. Sunday Ameh (SAN), met and agreed on bail terms that would fast track the trial of the defendants.
Thereafter, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole was briefed on the outcome of the meeting between counsel to various parties in the suit.
Justice Kolawole, while delivering his ruling on the defendants’ bail applications, admitted Mba and his co-defendants to a N50 million bail and ordered them to produce two sureties, who must be directors in the civil service with landed properties worth N50 million.
The Judge also ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports with the Deputy Registrar of the Federal High Court and adjourned till February 28, 2016 to the trial of the defendants.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Ikani informed the court that the Federal Government had lined up 13 witnesses to prove its case against the defendants.
Count one of the charge reads in part: “That you Emeka Mba (while being the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission) Patrick Areh while being the Director Finance and Account of the National Broadcasting Commission, Basil Udotai (trading in the name and style of technology advisor) and Babatunji Amure (trading on the name and style of Divine partners on or about the 15th day of August 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit an illegal act to wit ” laundering the sum of N2,899,723,500.00, contrary to section 18 (a) of the money laundering prohibition act 2011 as amended and punishable under section 16(3) of the same Act”.
Count three: “That you Basil Udotai (Spreading in the name and style of Technology Advisor) on and about the 12th day of August 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retained the sum of N2,899,723,500.00 in your account Zenith Bank PLC account number 1011923722 ( in the name of Technology Advisor when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds form part of the proceeds of the unlawful activities of Emeka Mba while being the Director General of National Broadcasting to wit: fraud and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering prohibition Act 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act”.
Count 11: “That you Patrick Areh while being the Director of Finance and account of National Broadcasting Commission on or about 19 August, 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted the aggregate sum of N410,000,000.00 obtained from the Zenith Bank PLC account number 1011923722 ( in the name of Technology Advisor through Kalaz ventures (a Bureau De Change) and Azuku inter global services limited for your personal use knowing same to be proceeds of unlawful activities to wit fraud and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”