N13BILLION FRAUD TRIAL :
Court Summons Tompolo, Akpobolokemi ex-NIMASA
boss, Allies Thursday...Accused Persons joined in Charge Sheet No:
FHC/L/553c/2015
*Served substituted service on Tompolo's compound No. 1 Chief Agbannu DDPA
Extention Warri, Delta State
*Panic grips ex-Militant Commander in hideout, Plans Escape as Police Detectives
take over Court vicinity
*Former warlord may Dump Appearance for Safety, contracts Spiritualists for Help
*EFCC moves to Arrest, Investigate ex-militant around Court Premises
-INVESTIGATION
BY AMINU WALIHU/CRIME REPORTER, LAGOS
END of the road seems to have come for former
Niger Delta militant, Mr Government Epemupolo
notoriously known as Tompolo as a Federal High
Court sitting in Lagos State summoned his
appearance tomorrow Thursday, January 14, 2015
to answer to financial crime charges of a multi-billion naira fraud
involving land contracts for the construction of a Nigerian
Maritime University (NMU).
Court Summons Tompolo, Conduit Firm, Allies Thursday...10 Accused Persons
joined in Charge Sheet No: FHC/L/553c/2015
Summoned along with Tompolo are nine accused persons including: Patrick Ziadeke
Akpobolokemi, former boss of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA), Global West Vessel Specialists Nigeria Ltd, Odimiri Electricals Limited,
Kime Engozu, Boloboere Property & Estate Limited; Rex Elem, Destre Consult Limited,
Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh.
In a press statement sent by Festus Keyamo, a fiery Lagos human rights lawyer, it confirmed
that a substituted service was served on Tompolo's compound No. 1 Chief Agbannu DDPA
Extention Warri, Delta State.
In a Charge Sheet No: FHC/L/553c/2015, it is clear that the Court is already tired of the
various hide-and-seek game delay tactics being undertaken by Tompolo. In view of this
development, an order is likely to be made by the Federal High Court in Lagos in some
hours from now for an official arrest of this ex-militant for 'Contempt of Court.' By then,
Nigerian security agencies will be legally insulated and constitutionally empowered to
effect his arrest on the soil of Nigeria.
Ex-warlord may Dump Appearance for Safety, contracts Spiritualists for Help
Going by our sources in Niger Delta, it is becoming crystal clear that for fear of arrest,
humiliation, prosecution and jail, Tompolo may have made up mind to dump his Court
appearance, continually stay in underground bunkers. And if call is made for his arrest
by the Court, he may eventually escape to a neighbouring African country as a fugitive.
“As at this moment, our former Niger Delta militant commander know the Federal
Government is already planning to arrest him, torture him to talk, prosecute him and
send him to jail. That is why he may follow the advice of his spiritualists from Benin
Republic not to appear in Court, because if he appears in Court, that may be the end of
his freedom. We know that if he refuses to appear he will be declared wanted. Nigerians
should not be surprised, when they hear that Tompolo has escaped outside the shores of
Nigeria”, explained Koriadu Bogoma, a close friend to one of the aides of Tompolo.
EFCC moves to Arrest, Investigate ex-militant around Court Premises
-INVESTIGATION
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have perfected
moves to arrest, grill, prosecute Tompolo whenever he step foot in the Court premises.
He is to be seriously investigated for defrauding Nigerian government to the tune of
N13billion and to explain how he shared the money, where he kept the remaining balance.
Also Nigerian police force has begun a stop and search 500 meters away from the Court area
as a proactive step to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
For the Records...
Tompolo had on December 10th, 2015, been declared wanted for questioning by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but he refused to honor
their invitation claiming he was in court against the Commission.
Sequel to his outright defiance, two companies linked to him (Mieka Divers Ltd
and Global West Vessel Specialists Nigeria Ltd) had their accounts frozen by
the anti-graft agency.
It was gathered that the Federal Government, while planning to construct
the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) had diverted public funds through
NIMASA to the militant.
The EFCC desires to grill Tompolo about the illicit sale of N13 billion in land
from him to the Federal Government. Ever since the case begun, Tompolo
is reported to have been hiding in the Niger Delta creeks.
