Attempt to arraign before the Federal High Court in Abuja three fraudsters who defrauded federal government the sum of $6,230,000.00 failed on Thursday.
The Court was forced to adjourn till November 3, this year to enable the federal government produce the suspects in court for arraignment.
The suspects :staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Odoh Eric Ocheme, Adamu Abubakar and Imam Abubakar were said to have fraudulently obtained the sum of six million, two hundred and thirty thousand United States Dollars ($6,230,000.00) from the CBN with purported letters from the Presidency and Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
They obtained the money in cash from the apex bank on a purported mandate of the Presidency to settle foreign election observers, but it became clear during the trial of former Governor of CBN Godwin Emefiele that the payment was fraudulently obtained.
Thought their arraignments was slated for this Thursday, however, counsel to the federal government, Mr Celestine Odoh informed the trial court Judge that the three accused persons have absconded from the country and are yet to be arrested.
He expressed government’s dilemma trying to effect the suspects arrest adding that though, the International Police INTERPOL had been involved in the battle to get the three accused persons apprehended, the efforts have not yielded positive results.
According to him, the accused persons have not surfaced in any area where Interpol could locate and arrest them.
The lawyer subsequently pleaded with the judge to grant a fairly long time to enable government intensify efforts to bring the defendants to the country for trial.
Justice Inyang Ekwo who recalled that a warrant of arrest was issued a year ago for the arrest of the accused persons granted the request of the lawyer and adjourned the matter till November 3 this year.
The federal government had requested the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) to hunt and arrest three defendants in the alleged withdrawal of $6.2 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last year through a forged document.
The office of the then Special Investigator of the CBN, Jim Obazee, made the request after obtaining an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The office, through a letter by its head of operations, Eloho Okpoziakpo, named the defendants as Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar and Odoh Ochene.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had earlier filed charges against them at the Federal High Court in Abuja bordering with stealing the said sum under the presence that it was requested by the presidency to pay international election observers.
The anti-graft agency alleged that on 8 February 2023, the accused persons connived to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that the money was requested by the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha “vide a letter dated 26 January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/.”
Following their escape out of Nigeria, the office of the then Special Investigator of the CBN requested the international police agency to “watchlist” and place the three alleged fugitives on its “red notice” with a view to arrest and repatriate them.
The special investigator further obtained a warrant of arrest for the three men from the Federal High Court through a motion ex-parte it filed on 18 January.