Alleged fraud: Court asked to order arrest, prosecution of NPA boss

 

 

The Federal High Court has been asked to order the arrest and prosecution of the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko, over allegations of fraud and financial misconduct.

Also joined in the suit by the plaintiff, Comrade Isah Buta, are the chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, the honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of l Justice and the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service.

In in suit number FHC/KD/CS/78/2023, dated July 18, 2023, Bello-Koko was accused of gross abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering while serving as Executive Director, Finance and Administration as well as MD/CEO of the NPA between January 2015 till date.

Buta, through his lawyers, Messrs Lawrence Ijimdiya & Associates, alleged that Bello-Koko abused his offices as Executive Director, Finance and Administration as well as Acting Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to massively amass wealth which he deployed to acquire choice properties in the United Kingdom.

“Specifically, the 1st Defendant used two BVI-incorporated shell companies namely; Coulwood Limited (Registration Number: 1487897) and Marney Limited (Registration Number: 1487944) to secretly register a total of 6(six) properties.

“The Plaintiff states that based on Punch online newspaper report of 18th October 2021 the EFCC was supposed to investigate the 1st Defendant alongside other top politicians in Nigeria following revelations that he operated foreign accounts which he did not declare to the Code of Conduct Bureau when he served as Director of Finance and Administration before becoming Acting Managing Director of NPA.

“The Plaintiff further states that the 1st Defendant may have hidden his ill-gotten wealth in tax havens such as Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, and the British Isle of Man using the said foreign accounts to evade paying taxes to the Nigerian Government.

“The Plaintiff states and shall contend during the trial of this suit that in 2022, an Investigative Report released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicted Koko for being involved in N829, 000, 000 (Eight Hundred and Twenty-Nine Million Naira) fraud through kickbacks and money laundering activities.

“The EFCC probe report exclusively obtained by Sahara Reporters in April 2022 revealed that the 1st Defendant after being investigated was found to have received N829, 000, 000 (Eight Hundred and Twenty-Nine Million Naira) from NPA contractors, and in cash sums from individuals and companies.

“At the time the report was done, the 1st Defendant was the acting Managing Director of the NPA. Following the suspension of Hadiza Bala Usman as the Managing Director of NPA by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidency announced the 1st Defendant as her replacement in an acting capacity.

The Plaintiff sought the following reliefs from the Court: “A declaration that the 1st Defendant ought to have been arrested and prosecuted by the 3rd Defendant by virtue of its own (3rd Defendant’s) financial profiling and report on the financial misconducts or improprieties of the 1st Defendant specifically on his gross abuse of office, misappropriation of Public funds, fraud and money Laundering, contrary to Sections 18 (4) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the 7th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) while serving as Executive Director, Finance and Administration as well as Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) between January, 2015 till date.

“An order directing the 3rd Defendant to arrest and prosecute the 1st Defendant based on the financial profiling and report on the financial improprieties of the 1st Defendant particularly as it relates to offences on Abuse of Office, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Fraud and Money Laundering contrary to Sections 18 (4) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the 7th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended while serving as Executive Director, Finance and Administration as well as Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) between January, 2015 till date.

“An order directing the 4th Defendant to arrest and prosecute the 1st Defendant in the light of his overwhelming indictment for offences bordering on failure to declare his assets, Abuse of Office as well as abuse of his oath of office in violation of the 7th schedule of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.

“An order directing the 5th Defendant to arrest and prosecute the 1st Defendant for the indicated offences bordering on Abuse of Office contrary to the 7th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended while serving as Executive Director, Finance and Administration as well as Acting Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) between January, 2015 till date.

“An order mandating the 6th Defendant to revoke the International Passport of 1st Defendant and restraining him from traveling out of Nigeria to take refuge in either London, Dubai, Canada, United States of America or any other part of the world wheresoever to give room for his speedy arrest and prosecution by the 3rd and 4th Defendants for the offences bordering on Abuse of Office, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Fraud and Money Laundering contrary to Sections 18 (4) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the 7th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) while serving as Executive Director, Finance and Administration as well as Acting Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) between January, 2015 date.

“Cost in the sum of N200,000,000 (two hundred million Naira) to cover expenses incurred by the Plaintiff for initiating this suit.”

However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.