N19.7bn NIMASA fraud: Witness implicates Winners Chapel

A witness at the ongoing prosecution of former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpolobokemi, has revealed how Winners Chapel, a church owned by Bishop David Oyedepo got N35million out of the N19.7bn stolen from the accounts of the agency, National Daily has gathered.

Ahidjo Ikem, a witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made the revelation at a Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday. He said the money was paid to the church on the instruction of Major-General Emmanuel Atewe, a former Commander of the Joint Task Force, also facing trial for fraud.

In his testimony before Justice Ayokunle Faji, at the resumed trial of the accused persons on Friday, Ikem disclosed how his five companies became the conduit pipes used by Major-General Atewe in laundering N4.9 billion from the JTF’s account.

Ikem, while being led-in evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, said he came in contact with the former JTF Commander at the Villa Church where they both worship, when the JTF Commander was Guard Brigade Commander.

He said sometimes between July and September 2014, when Major-General Atewe became the JTF Commander, he invited him to Bayelsa State and told him that he had been given a contract by the Federal Government for maintenance of security and building of barracks.

Atewe, he said, asked for the names of his companies, so that the payment could be made through them. He stated that he gave the JTF Commander all the names of his five companies, with the bank details and the addresses.

Ikem informed the court that his companies had no contractual agreement with JTF, neither were they registered contractors nor suppliers of any goods or services to JTF.

The witness told the court that not quite long thereafter, the JTF Commander invited him to Bayelsa State again and told him that the money was about coming to his account, adding that once he received it, he should inform him.

He stated that two or three days after his visit to Bayelsa State, he received alerts, and when he called the JTF Commander, he told him to keep the money until he returned to  Abuja.

He said when Major-General Atewe came to Abuja, he joined him at Niger Barracks, where he was introduced to Kime Engonzu, the third accused person. Atewe, Ikem said, told him to hand over all the money to Kime.

Ikem who is the first prosecution witness in the matter said, the total money he received was N4.9 billion, N4.1billion out of which he changed to $21.5m USD at a Bureau De Change (BDC) operated by a man named as Jimoh. The naira balance was given to some companies and the Winners Chapel as directed by Major-General Atewe.

Ikem told the court that he gave Kime the dollars, who in turn followed the instructions of the JTF Commander. The witness also told the court that he collected $950, 000 USD from one Chijioke, who is also a good friend of Major-General Atewe, and gave it to Kime.

He said  N35 million was paid to Living Faith Church,  N103 million  to INP Limited,  N107 million to First Investment Limited, while Lord Firm limited N99million Ocean Gas, N88million  and Sisco Nobort  N297 million.

However, the presiding judge, Justice Ayokunle Faji, adjourned the matter till March 21, 22 and 23, following a complaint from the first accused person (Akpolobokemi) who complained of health challenges mid-way of the trial.

Ahidjo Ikem is the Managing Director of five companies charged alongside the former JTF Commander and the former Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi, and two other persons in the alleged N19.7 billion fraud.