judgment in an alleged N14,176,000.00 (Fourteen Million, One Hundred and
Seventy-six Thousand Naira) fraud case involving a former Permanent
Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Clement
Onubuogu Illoh.
Illoh, is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC on a three-count charge bordering on stealing by
conversion of property to the tune N14,176,000.00 (Fourteen Million, One
Hundred and Seventy-six Thousand Naira).
Illoh, who was responsible for supervising numerous programmes such as
the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), allegedly
awarded fictitious contracts to himself, using his personal company and
friends.
At the resumed hearing today, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo,
while adopting his final his written address, told the court that the
defendant had committed an offence contrary to Sections 279 (1), (b) and
285 (6) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 and, therefore, must
face the justice.
Oyedepo also submitted that “for the fact that the defendant unlawfully
transferred public funds to his private account or to another party’s
account that had nothing to transact with the government constituted the
of offence of stealing, money laundering and conversion.”
Oyedepo further told the court that the defendant wanted to cover the
trail of the funds by moving the funds to Clement and Bob Associates,
belonging to him, but that EFCC’s investigations revealed the
concealment of the funds.
“The intention to conceal was clearly manifested in the movement of the
funds to the defendant’s private company and this shows a clear proof of
stealing and money laundering,” he added.
Oyedepo, therefore, urged the court to sentence the defendant according
to the law, adding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond
reasonable doubt.
“I urge your lordship to carefully look at the oral and documentary
evidences and, I say vehemently that there is no material contradiction
in the case of the prosecution that will sway my lordship to discharging
the defendant,” Oyedepo told the court.
In his final written address, the defence counsel, U. Onwukwe, urged the
court to dismiss the charge filed against Illoh by the EFCC.
The defence counsel also told the court that the prosecution could not
prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, adding that “the entire charge
was built on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA) because the agency was the source of the money.
“It was a grant given by the Maritime Legal Department of NIMASA to the
Ministry of Labour,” Onwukwe said.
The defence counsel also told the court that the prosecution could not
prove the exact amount his client was charged with.
Justice Taiwo, after listening to both parties, adjourned the case to
September 24, 2019 for judgment.