The Federal High Court, Abuja has ordered the arrest of a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin and two other officers over N1.5 billion money laundering charges instituted against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The bench warrant was approved on Friday by Justice Inyang Ekwo in a motion exparte marked FHC/ABJ/CR/158/2023 and filed by ICPC counsel, Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha.
In the motion seen by Nairametrics, the lawyer submitted that Usman Jibrin Oyibe, Adam Imam Yusuf, Brigadier General Ishaya Gangum Bauka(first to third defendants), were investigated for allegations of money laundering and making false statement regarding diversion of funds in their respective military and paramilitary institutions, into companies they alleged had a stake in.
According to him, at the commencement of the investigation into the allegations, the defendants were released on administrative bail on self-recognizance because of their status as serving and former public figures and has since refused to show up for possible arraignment in court.
Akponimisingha also stated, "This Honourable Court in an ex-parte application by the Complainant/Applicant granted an order of substituted service of the charge on the Defendants/Respondents through O.J. ONOJA, SAN & ASSOCIATES.
" Sequel to the said order of substituted service, the Complainant/Applicant has since served the charge on the Defendants/Respondents through their Counsel, O.J. ONOJA, SAN & ASSOCIATES.
" Despite the service of the criminal charge on the Defendants/Respondents through their Counsel, O.J, ONOJA, SAN & ASSOCIATES, they have falled or neglected to come to court for their arraignment.
"This Honorable court has the statutory as well as the inherent powers to grant this application pursuant to the provisions of sections 184 of ACJA as well as section 6 (6)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)."
The lawyer prayed the court for a bench warrant against the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents (Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin Oyibe, Adam Imam Yusuf, and Brigadier General Ishaya Gamgum Bauka) in charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/158/2023 is pending before the court for the purpose of arresting and bringing them to court for their arraignment and trial.
Listed as first to sixth defendants in the 17-count charge are Usman Jibrin Oyibe, Adam Imam Yusuf, Brigadier General Ishaya Gangum Bauka, Lahab integrated & Multi Services Limited, Gate Coast Properties International Limited and Ummays Hummayd Energy Ltd.
Two of the counts read, "That you VICE Admiral Usman Jibrin Oyibe (M) sometime in March, 2015 ог thereabout in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being the Chief of Naval Staff of the Nigerian Navy did take possession of the sum of N22,000,000.00 (Twenty-Two Million Naira) deposited by Sand Prop Ltd into the Zenith Bank account number: 1013913028 of Gate Coast Properties International Limited, a company account which bears your signature against the name and passport photograph of one Lami Idum as the sole signatory, which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
"That you Adam Imam Yusuf (M) sometime in January, 2020 or thereabout in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a staff of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) did take possession of the sum of N410,000,000.00 (Four Hundred and Ten Million Naira) deposited into your Zenith Bank account number 2219799630 by Gate Coast Properties International Limited, which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022."
What transpired in court
At the resumed sitting, Akponimisingha, while adopting his motion, told the judge to grant it so that the case can commence and conclude.
"Motion exparte for issuance of bench warrant moved; ordered as prayed," Justice Ekwo ruled.
The judge then adjourned to June 3 for report.
Ekwo added,
"In the case that the defendants are apprehended by the complainant before the adjourned date, the complainant applicant (ICPC) are to inform the court immediately."
The instant case will be another round of criminal charge against the ex-Naval chief in particular.
In 2023, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, sued Jibrin, former Chief of Naval Staff, in a case of N600million fraud involving the purchase of a house worth multi-millions.
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