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| Mr. Calistus Obi |
A Federal High Court
sitting in Lagos, on Monday sentenced a former Acting Director-General of the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), Mr. Calistus Obi,
to seven years imprisonment over N225m fraud.
sitting in Lagos, on Monday sentenced a former Acting Director-General of the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), Mr. Calistus Obi,
to seven years imprisonment over N225m fraud.
Obi was convicted along with another staff of NIMASA, Mr.
Dismal Alu for the same offence.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Lagos,
in his judgement said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which
filed the case against the two proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The two have been standing trial with two other firms, Grand
Pact Limited and Global Sea Investment, fingered in the case.
The two were accused of conspiracy to convert the sum of
N225m belonging to NIMASA on August 2015.
The EFCC had called eight witnesses and tendered 32 exhibits
to prove its case.
Justice Olatoregun said the offence was punishable under
sections 15 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act,
2012.
The Court had convicted them first in May 23, but reserved
pronouncement of sentences.
The EFCC council, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, had requested the judge
to impose maximum sentence on the two as a deterrent on others.
He had pointed out that the minimum sentence for the offence
was 7 years, but noted that the law gives the judge the power to exercise
discretion.
