Alleged N54.3million fraud: Court fixes October 3 for NEMA director’s trial

An FCT High Court in Maitama on Tuesday fixed October 3 to begin the trial of an Acting Director, Special Duties in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Emenike Umesi, charged with alleged misappropriation of N54.3 million.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Mr Umesi with four counts of misappropriation of public funds.

Justice Jude Okeke granted an application by the EFCC counsel, Joshua Saidi, praying the court for an adjournment to enable him to file a ”new, better and further proof of evidence”.

Mr Okeke said he allowed the adjournment because the defendant’s counsel did not object to it.

He then adjourned until October 3 for the hearing of the motion.

Mr Saidi earlier informed the court that he was coming into the matter newly and had file the motion and served the defendant’ s counsel this morning.

Objecting to the EFCC counsel’ motion, Japh Njikonye, defendant’s counsel, said that the copy was not readable.

He said ordinarily, they would not have a problem with the motion but that it was not readable. He, however, did not object to the application for adjournment.

The prosecutor (Mr Saidi) therefore promised to file new better and further motion.

NAN reports that the EFCC alleged that on December 30, 2014, Mr Umesi while serving as the Acting Director, Special Duty in NEMA allegedly misappropriated N12.8 million meant for the agency’s operations.

EFFC said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 19 of Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendant, serving as deputy director in charge of the South-south Zone of NEMA on Feb. 29, 2012, converted the sum of N7 .5 million meant for the agency ‘s operations to his personal use.

The EFCC also accused Mr Umesi of converting N17.9 million and N16.1 million in March, 2012 and Oct. 14, 2013, respectively to his personal use.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations leveled against him.

(NAN)