EFCC brings 27-count charge against former NIMASA boss

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, re-arraigned former Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Raymond Omatseye, before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

The commission re-arraigned the accused before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia on an amended 27-count charge of contract scam. He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The re-arraignment is due to the transfer of the former judge, Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako.

The new judge, however, allowed the accused to continue with the earlier bail granted by Murtala-Nyako. This followed an application for bail made by the counsel to the accused, Mr Olushina Shofola.

The accused was earlier arraigned before Murtala-Nyako in February 2011, on 11 counts bordering on alleged illegal transfer of theagency's fund and contract splitting.
The contract is estimated to be more than N1.5 billion.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Justice Murtala-Nyako had earlier granted the accused bail on self recognition as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the prosecutor, Godwin Obla, briefed the court about the amended charge.

He said that it reflected the same ingredients of the offence, with only slight changes.
Ajumogobia therefore ordered that the charge should be read to the accused and his plea taken.