Former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi has been cleared of alleged N8,537,586, 798.58 billion fraud charges by Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The charges which included conspiracy, conversion, and stealing (by fraudulent conversion), were brought against Akpobolokemi and NIMASA employee, Josphine Otuaga by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge dismissed the case against the duo, stating that the EFCC failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the charges.
On the other hand, Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (rtd), former Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, and NIMASA employee, Kime Engonzu, have been ordered to open their defense by the court. The two have to answer to counts 12 to 22 of the charge against them.
In a no-case submission filed by his lawyer, Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN), Akpobolokemi asked for an acquittal without having him present a defense.
Nwobike argued that the prosecution failed to prove his client’s involvement in the alleged crimes.
Justice Faji agreed that none of the witnesses called by the prosecution provided any credible evidence linking the first defendant and the fourth defendant to the crimes they were charged with.
The judge held that a court of trial must discharge an accused if there is insufficient evidence linking them with the statutory elements and ingredients.
He added that the court has no business searching for evidence that is nowhere to be found.
Faji held that out of 11 witnesses fielded by the complainant, only one witness (PW 2) gave evidence where the name of the first defendant was featured.
In contrast, other witnesses made it clear that they did not know the first defendant and did not have any dealings with him.
