The Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, has re-arraigned Haruna Baba Jauro, a former acting
Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Dauda Bitrus Bawa and a company, Thlumbau
Enterprises Limited, before Justice C.A. Obiozor of the Federal High
Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a 19-count charge bordering on stealing
and money laundering to the tune of N304, 118, 500( Three Hundred and
Four Million One Hundred and Eighteen Thousand Five Hundred Naira).
The defendants were first arraigned on April 12, 2016 before retired
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Earlier in the proceedings, today, counsel to the defendants, Olalekan
Ojo, SAN, told the court that the third defendant, Thlumbau Enterprises
Ltd., had written a letter dated November 6, 2020, notifying the court
of the appointment of one Baba Haruna Salome, who is its Secretary, as
its representative in the trial in accordance with Section 478 of the
Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.
Ojo also told the court of another letter by Salome dated November 6,
2020 and filed on November 9, 2020.
According to him, “The purpose of the letter is to enable the aforesaid
representative of the third defendant to communicate to the court the
third defendant’s plea of not guilty to the charge preferred against
it.”
He further told the court that he was in receipt of the copies of the
letters and that the original copies had been lodged with the Court’s
Registrar.
Thereafter, the Judge ordered the defendants to take their pleas.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Haruna Baba Jauro, Dr Dauda Bitrus
Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Ltd., on or about the 6th day of January
2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did
conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: conversion of the
sums of N156, 477,500(One Hundred and Fifty- six Million, Four Hundred
and Seventy- seven Thousand, Five Hundred Naira), the property of the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, knowing that the
said sums were proceeds of stealing, and thereby committed an offence
contrary to Section 18( a) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) (
Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Another count reads: “That you, Haruna Baba Jauro, Dr. Dauda Bitrus
Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Ltd., on or about the 6th day of January
2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did
conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: conversion of the
sums of N15,000,000.00( Fifteen Million Naira), the property of the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, knowing that the
said sums were proceeds of stealing, and thereby committed an offence
contrary to Section 15 ( 1) Money Laundering ( Prohibition) ( Amendment)
Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to
them.
In view of their pleas of not guilty, the prosecution counsel, U.U.
Buhari, asked the court for a trial date and to remand the defendants in
the Nigerian Correctional Service Custodial Centre
The defence counsel, in his response, appealed to the Judge to allow the
defendants to continue to enjoy the bail previously granted by Justice
Olatoregun pending the commencement of trial.
“My Lord, the defendants will continue to attend the trial, even if it
will last more than one day because we really want to put the matter
behind us.”
After listening to both parties, Justice Obiozor held that the
“defendants shall continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted them on the
same terms.”
The case was adjourned till March 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 29, and
April 6, 2021 for commencement of trial.