A lawyer and businessman, Uche Obilor, yesterday told the Federal High Court in Lagos that three of his companies got N905,800 million from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) without bidding for any contract.

He said the firms – Seabulk Offshore Limited, Southern Offshore Limited and Ace Prothesis Limited – were paid for a contract they never executed.

He was testifying in the trial of a former NIMASA Director-General, Patrick Akpobolokemi, who is accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) converting N2.6billion.

He was also accused of defrauding the Federal Government of 795.2million.

Akpobolokemi was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba along with three others – Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan – and three companies – Blockz and Stonz Limited, Kenzo Logistics Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistic Limited.

Led in evidence by EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo, Obilor said he was approached by NIMASA to provide vessels for the implementation of an ISPS Code project.

Oyedepo asked: “Did you bid for the contract?” The witness said: “We did not officially bid for the contract.”

The EFCC lawyer asked: “Did you execute the unofficial contract?” Obilor responded: “The contract was not executed.”

According to the witness, the companies received letters of award of contracts although they did not submit any bids.

He said the monies were paid before they got confirmation that they had been awarded the contract.

“When we had the letter of award, by then the monies had been paid upfront.

“We were later approached that we should stay action, and that we should remit the money to certain companies and individuals,” he said.

He said his companies got the following sums: Seabulk Offshore, N437million; Southern Offshore, N402million and Ace Prothesis, N66.8million.

Obilor said they neither issued requests for payment, nor submitted any invoices.

When he was showed a request document for the payment of a particular sum, he said: “We did not issue this document.”

The witness said he received instructions from Captain Agaba, and that they discussed verbally.

Under cross examination by Akpobolokemi’s lawyer Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN), Obilor said he never dealt with or met the former NIMASA boss.

“I did not meet the first defendant,” he said.

When Agaba’s lawyer, Edoka Onyeke, showed the witness a document signed by his executive directors, Obilor denied that any of his staff signed any papers bidding for the contract or demanding payment.

“I am very much aware of what happens in my companies. If the documents had emanated from the companies I would have known. I am unaware that my directors signed the documents,” he said.

Obilor said he took steps to confirm if indeed his workers signed the documents, but admitted there was no documentary evidence showing their denial.

“I am not aware of any statements from them denying the documents. I didn’t take them along to the EFCC to deny those documents,” he said.

Adjourning, Justice Buba joked that he had to force himself to sit for the trial even though he was treating malaria.

“My temperature was very high yesterday (Monday), but I forced myself to be here so that the press will not write a bold headline that ‘judge’s absence stalled trial,’” he said.

The Trial continues on Friday.

http://thenationonlineng.net/we-got-n905-8m-for-no-contracts-says-witness/

what do you espect when ineffectual b***** at the top is rotten..........

Waiting for the end.

I agreed with you my brother 100%

Demmocrats:
I swear looters should be given death penalty

Our money !!

Jonathannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. Stealing na corruption ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Just like that N905m?

Once we clamour for that, they will call PMB names...PDP has milked this country

Demmocrats:
I swear looters should be given death penalty

Not a bad idea

Demmocrats:
I swear looters should be given death penalty

Oyedepo asked: “Did you bid for the contract?” The witness said: “We did not officially bid for the contract.”

The EFCC lawyer asked: “Did you execute the unofficial contract?” Obilor responded: “The contract was not executed.”

According to the witness, the companies received letters of award of contracts although they did not submit any bids.

He said the monies were paid before they got confirmation that they had been awarded the contract.

“When we had the letter of award, by then the monies had been paid upfront.

“We were later approached that we should stay action, and that we should remit the money to certain companies and individuals,” he said.


Wailers, what do we call this? they will soon wake up to defend this. God is watching...

The gargantuan corruption that ineffectual-B allowed to thrive under his watch is heart-wrenching.



When I see those cretins addressing him as a hero, I usually run back to my dictionary to check the meaning of the word "hero".

O Boy, see Osusu when dey flow... Why no bi me they credit like that na? national cake

seconded

Demmocrats:
I swear looters should be given death penalty

Hmmmmmm....

kuje dey hungry you?

OsusuMustFlow:
O Boy, see Osusu when dey flow... Why no bi me they credit like that na? national cake

not only hero. He killed nigeria economy

Caseless:
The gargantuan corruption that ineffectual-B allowed to thrive under his watch is heart-wrenching.



When I see those cretins addressing him as a hero, I usually run back to my dictionary to check the meaning of the word "hero".

and you would have gotten a new house in kuje

OsusuMustFlow:
O Boy, see Osusu when dey flow... Why no bi me they credit like that na? national cake

Who provided nimasa d acct details of dis said companies

What then did d companies did after recieving d ''alert''
Did they inform efcc
Did they retuned d money back,or still in their those accts

Until there is a strict act to punish the act of these useless people the dividend of democracy will never circulate. There are millions of people out there who were ready to work but no recognition for them. How can you win a contract without bid? What were you instructed to do.

hian

And this is just one out of many who got paid for doing nothing!

supported

Demmocrats:
I swear looters should be given death penalty

Stealing is not corruption
-gej2015-

my oga, just joking o

DONSMITH123:

kuje dey hungry you?

hmmmmm

Come to think of it, was Goodluck sleeping while all this is going on?

walahi

Mrfahaz:
what do you espect when ineffectual b***** at the top is rotten..........

OnankpaBa:
not only hero. He killed nigeria economy

how can that drunk be a hero?

with all the daily revelations, Goodluck is a badluck to nigeria

Caseless:
how can that drunk be a hero?