Trial of ex-acting NIMASA DG, Jauro holds today

A Federal High Court, Lagos has fixed January 24 (today), for continuation of trial of a former acting Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Haruna Jauro.

Jauro, who assumed leadership of NIMASA briefly after two former heads of the agency were removed in quick succession is facing N304.1 million fraud charges leveled against him 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 last Friday, as the court did not sit.

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

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.