A former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, who was charged with an alleged fraud of N2.6billion, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been acquitted on Friday by the Lagos Division of Court of Appeal.
In the judgment led by Justice Yargata Nimpar, the court upheld no-case submission of criminal charges file by the former DG.
It overruled the decision of Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos, who, on October 16, 2017, dismissed Akpobolokemi’s no-case submission.
The EFCC had on December 4, 2015 arraigned Akpobolokemi alongside five others for allegedly diverting N2.6 billion from the coffers of NIMASA between December 2013 and May 2015.
The funds, according to EFCC were approved by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for the implementation of a security project tagged, International Ship and Ports Security Code in Nigerian Ports.
Charged with Akpobolokemi were Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan, Blockz and Stonz Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistics Limited.
But the others accused not lucky, as the court failed to uphold the submission and discharged them.
