Temisan Omatseye, Ex- NIMASA DG Arraigned For Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday February 3, 2011 arraigned Temisan Omatseye, former director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) before a Federal High Court in Lagos . Omatseye was arraigned on an 11 count charge before Justice Binta Nyako for offences that border on contract splitting, illegal transfer of fund and unlawful approvals.
Soon after the charges were read to the accused, Counsel to EFCC, Godwin Obla, asked the court to fix a date for trial.
However, the defence counsel, Joseph Nwabike, SAN, told the court that there was a bail application before it. He asked the court to grant the accused bail in liberal terms. He said the accused has no previous criminal record and that he has consistently made himself available to the Commission whenever he was needed. He also said that the accused will not jump bail as he was already enjoying the administrative bail granted him by the EFCC.
He further disclosed that the accused was a senior member of the bar who served as a high ranking public servant in the immediate past. The EFCC counsel however said that granting of bail was at the discretion of the court.
After standing down the case for about three hours, Justice Nyako granted the accused bail on self recognition as a senior member of the bar. She adjourned the case to March 29 for trial.
Omatseye is facing an eleven (11) count charge of money laundering and contravening the provision of Section 58(4)(d) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007. He was said to have between 2009 and 2010 caused to be transferred from NIMASA's Barclays Bank account in London, the sum of 300,000 pounds (three hundred thousand pounds) without lawful approval, purportedly to fund the campaign of one Mrs Mbanefo as secretary general of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 14(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 Laws of the federation of Nigeria.
Count 2 reads…"That you Temisan Omatseye whilst carrying out your duty as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on the 16th day of February 2010 split tender for and approved three contract awards to Wabil Nig. Ltd to wit: Contract Nos:
a)NIMASA90127/02/2010
b)NIMASA90137/02/2010
c)NIMASA90139/02/2010
for supply office accessories, to enable you evade your official limit of monetary thresh hold of contract approval and thereby contravening the provision of Section 58(4) (d) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 58(5)(a)(b) of the same Act."