A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, to unconditionally appear before it on Thursday (today) to answer 40 counts of alleged N13bn fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Tompolo had been charged on Tuesday with amended 40 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering alongside an ex-Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi.
Justice Ibrahim Buba granted the order to compel Tompolo’s appearance in chambers on Tuesday shortly after the amended charges were filed in court.
The judge, in a copy of the order, sighted by one of our correspondents, held, “That an order is granted to the applicant (EFCC) issuing a summons to compel the appearance of Government Ekpemupolo (a.k.a. Tompolo) before this honourable court, having been alleged to have committed the offences as contained in the body of the charge.
“That leave is granted to the applicant to serve the summons and charge No. FHC/L/553c/2015 on Government Ekpemupolo (a.k.a. Tompolo) by substituted means to wit: affixing same on the conspicuous part of his known address situated at No. 1, Chief Agbanu DDPA Extension, Warri, Delta State.”
Charged alongside Tompolo and Akpobolokemi are one Kime Engozu, Rex Elem, Gregory Mbonu and Capt. Warredi Enisuoh.
Among the accused also are four companies – Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electrical Limited, Boloboere Property and Estate Limited and Destre Consult Limited.
The EFCC accused the defendants of conspiracy and fraudulent conversion of NIMASA’s property to their own, contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.
The prosecution said the accused were liable to punishment under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
By Olufemi Atoyebi and Ramon Oladimeji for Punch
