Arik Air's chief pilot and chief security offficer were arrested yesterday,at the copoerate headquaters of the airline in lagos for allegation of TAX EVASION and MONEY LAUNDERING against the airline.
EFCC Probes Arik over N4.6bn Transfer
•Files fresh charges against Kenny Martins
By Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Yemi Akinsuyi in Abuja, 09.30.2009
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Top officials of Arik Air have come under the searchlight of the Eco-nomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged suspicious transfer of N4.6 billion.
Also, the former Co-ordinator of the defunct Police Equipment Fund (PEF) Kenny Martins and other officials of the agency namely Ibrahim Dumuje, Yero Gella and Nigerstalg Ltd are in fresh hot water as the agency filed an amended nine-count charge against them at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Gudu, Abuja.
The EFCC stormed Arik Air head office in Lagos yesterday and arrested the Chief Pilot, Captain Victor Egonu, and the Chief Security Officer, after the Chairman, Sir Arum-emi Johnson, and the Managing Director Chris Ndulue, could not be found.
According to the commission, both men were invited several weeks ago in connection with the transfer of N4.6 billion and they refused to show up. Details of the banks through which the money was wired was not made available at press time.
Head of EFCC Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said the chairman of the agency, Mrs. Farida Waziri, recently set up a team to investigate the tax remittances of some big companies to prevent tax evasion and money laundering. Some N3 billion was recovered within three weeks, he said.
The team, Babafemi disclosed, investigated Arik Air and discovered N4.6 billion alleged money laundering transfer. The chairman and the managing director of the company were invited to offer an explanation but they refused to honour the invitation, he stated.
The EFCC spokesman said that all the entreaties by the commission proved abortive in spite of the fact that an officer of EFCC was stationed in Lagos to have a meeting with Johnson and Ndulue.
The last effort the commission made to hold talks with them was last Wednesday. When that effort failed, the agency sent its officials to invade the company’s headquarters for a possible arrest of the two men.
THISDAY also learnt that officers of the commission arrived at Arik Air office at about 11.00 am and left by 4.00 pm. A source said that they went into the main office, hoping to see the chairman, while others surrounded the premises.
When Johnson was nowhere to be found, they moved from office to office, seizing cell phones from workers. Apparently disappointed, they took the chief pilot and chief security officer and left the premises.
“They have been avoiding our invitation and refused all the meetings we invited them to attend. Last Wednesday they failed to meet our officials for a meeting so we moved to their office and arrested their chief pilot and their chief security officer. So lawyers of the airline came and promised to provide the Chairman and the Managing Director of the airline, Babafemi explained.
But the Communications Officer of the Airk Air, Mr. Banji Ola, told THISDAY that officials from the commission visited the company over “claims of purported irregularity in tax remittances”.
“Operatives of the EFCC visited our Lagos head office today (yesterday) over claims of purported irregularity in tax remittances. They have since withdrawn and the airline has continued its normal operations. They took away our Chief Pilot, Captain Victor Egonu,” Ola stated.
Meanwhile, Babafemi has explained that the nine-count charge against Martins, three individuals and a company border on criminal breach of trust, mismanagement, conversion and misuse of public funds totalling N1 billion, N1,283,000,000.00, during their time as co-ordinators of the defunct PEF.
Martins and others were said to have committed the offences contrary to section 97(1) of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and punishable under Section 312 of the same Penal Code Act.
When the amended charges were read to the accused, Martins and his co-accused pleaded not guilty.
Chile Okoroma, counsel to EFCC, said the amended charges were based on fresh evidence from witnesses who testified in court in one of the early sittings.
Counsel to the accused, Mike Ozekhome, did not object to the amended charges. He admitted that he had been dully served but that he needed time to study the charges and make his submissions.
He pleaded with the judge to allow the accused persons return home as he had earlier granted them bail which they have never flouted.
“They have always been available in court and they have never failed to attend court meeting,” he argued.
Martins and the other accused were first arraigned by the EFCC for misuse of public fund totalling N800 million. They were granted bail by Justice Abubakar Talba on July 3, 2008 on such conditions as a bank guarantee of N10 million each, two reliable sureties in like sum, and the sureties to deposit a certificate of occupancy of a property within Abuja municipality.
Justice Talba at the end of yesterday’s sitting fixed November 9 for the adoption of the written submission of both the prosecution and defence counsel.
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