Former NIMASA boss bags 42-year jail term

Former acting director-general of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA Callistus Obi, has been sentenced to 42 years imprisonment after been found guilty of misappropriating N111 million.

Also sentenced to 42 years imprisonment is Alu Dismas, an aide to Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former Director-General, NIMASA, EFCC said in a statement on Monday.

Justice Olatoregun found the defendants guilty on counts two, three, four, six, seven and eight and sentenced them to seven years imprisonment each on each count.

Both convicts were given an option of fine of N42 million on each of the count.

Justice Olatoregun also imposed a N10 million fine on the third and fourth convicts: Global Sea Investment and Grand Pact Limited.

The convicts were first arraigned on April 12, 2016 on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, conversion, and money laundering to the tune of N136m.

Obi and Dismas pleaded not guilty to the charges, thereby setting the stage for their trial.

During course of the trial, the prosecution called eight witnesses and tendered several documents, which were admitted in evidence by the court.

When the sentencing hearing began, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo urged the court to pronounce sentence prohibiting the crime and impose maximum sentence on the convicts, having allowed the court to go through the rigor of full scale trial without taking advantage of Section 270 which would have saved the time of the court with accelerating the matter.