Fraud: Trial of 2 former NIMASA DGs adjourned

The trial of a former acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Haruna Jauro, facing N304.1 million fraud charges has been adjourned till January 24.

Jauro, who assumed leadership of the  NIMASA was charged before a Federal High Court in Lagoa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He is standing trial alongside Dauda Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Ltd on 19 counts bordering on the offences.

They were arraigned on April 12, 2016 and had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court had admitted them to bail in the sum of N5 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

The suit which was scheduled for a continuation of trial was stalled on Friday, as the court did not sit.

The trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun was said to be away on official assignment.

The date was therefore vacated, while a new trial date was issued by the court’s registrars as January 24.

Jauro assumed leadership of NIMASA, after an erstwhile Director General of the agency,  Patrick Apkobolokemi, who is also being prosecuted alongside others over multi billion naira fraud.

The EFCC accused Jauro and others of conspiring among themselves to defraud NIMASA to the tune of N304.1m between January 2014 and September 2015.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the accused converted the sums to their private use, an offence which it said contravened the provisions of section 15(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

In a related development, the trial of Apkobolokemi before Justice Raliat Adebiyi has been adjourned till February 10, after a trial within trial of a witness.