Mrs
Aminat Titi Abubakar, wife of former Nigeria’s Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar, yesterday told a Lagos high court sitting in Ikeja of how she was
defrauded of N918 million by a former governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State,
Nsikakabasi Akpan Jacobs.
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Jacobs,
Abdulmalik Ibrahim and Dana Motors on a 15-count charge of conspiracy,
stealing and fraudulent conversion of properties belonging to THA Shipping
Maritime Services Ltd.
Led
by the prosecution counsel, Mr Babatunde Sonoiki, told the court presided over
by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye how Akpan allegedly defrauded her of her shares in
the company and other proceeds.
She
told the court thàt Akpan Jacobs who doubled as the company’s managing director
and secretary had allegedly gone to the Corporate Affairs Commission where he
altered the share arrangement in his favour.
She
alleged Akpan forged a company board resolution re-distributing the shares
ownership and alloted 70 per cent to himself , 15 per cent to her and 15 per cent
to Holmes.
With
the shares re-distribution, Akpan Jacobs was alleged to have fraudulently
assumed full ownership of THA Shipping and subsequently sold a
property worth N918m belonging to the company to Dana Motor Nigeria Limited.
When
asked, she said Akpan told her that he allotted major shares to himself in
other to obtain loan from the bank for the company.
Testifying
further before the court, Mrs Atiku stated that Akpan Jacobs , a pastor used
the proceeds from the sales of the company’s property to contest for the
governorship position in Akwa Ibom State.
Mrs
Atiku lamented that her investment in the company had gone down the drain
and stated that her interest in coming to court is to ensure that justice
is done.
“I
have never been inside a court before. Not even a police station in all my
life. I am here because I want justice. All my investment and even profit are
gone. I want this to serve as a deterrent to other fraudsters that they can’t
defraud people and not face justice”, she said.
Part
of the charge preferred against the defendants by the EFCC stated: “that
ýNsikakabasi Akpan Jacobs and Abdulmalik Ibrahim as the Managing Director and
Company Secretary on or about the 10th day of August 2008 in Lagos within the
Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud stole and converted to your own
personal use the sum of N918,000,000.00 being proceeds sale of the property and
appurtenances situted at Plot C63 A Amuwo Odofin Commercial. Layout along
Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos belonging to Tha Shipping and Maritime Service
limited entrusted with you as the Managing Director.
ý”Nsikakabasi
Akpan Jacobs and Abdulmalik Ibrahimý on or about the 1st day July 2002 in Lagos
within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud forged a Memorandum
and Article of Association of Tha Shipping and Maritme Service Limited dated
the 1st day of July 2002 purporting the sgnatures therein to have been signed
by Florence Doregos and Fred Holms.”
Justice
Ipaye adjourned the matter till December 14 for continuation of hearing.
Source:The
Nation
Tags
Society