N304.1m fraud: EX-NIMASA DG, Karo, others opt for plea bargain

A former acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Haruna Jauro, and two others, Monday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that they have opted to enter into a plea bargain with the Federal Government.

Jauro, Dr. Dauda Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Limited are being prosecuted for an alleged fraud of N304.1 million.

They are facing a 19-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

At the resumed proceedings of the case Monday, Jauro’s lawyer, Chief Babajide Koku (SAN), told Justice Olatoregun that his client had decided to enter into plea bargain with the EFCC.

He said his client took the decision on Monday and had already commenced talks with the EFCC.

He said: “It (plea bargain decision) came up this morning. I discussed directly with my learned friend, prosecuting counsel.” EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, confirmed to the court that the defendants had approached the EFCC to explore the option of plea bargain.

He said: “I confirm the intention of the defence to enter into a plea bargain with the prosecution.” Consequently, Justice Olatoregun directed the parties to proceed with the plea bargain and ensure that the process went on without delay.

She adjourned till November 21, 2016 for the parties to return to court to give a report on the process.

“By the time you come back, you would have filed the plea bargain agreement and I would look at it and evaluate it,” the court said.

The EFCC had accused Jauro and others of conspiring among themselves to defraud NIMASA to the tune of N304.1million between January 2014 and September 2015.

The EFCC prosecutor, Oyedepo, told the court that the accused acted contrary to Section 15(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and were liable to punishment under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts, following which they were admitted to a bail of N5million each with two sureties in like sum.

Jauro assumed the leadership of NIMASA following the sacking of an erstwhile Director General of the agency, Patrick Apkobolokemi, who is now being prosecuted alongside others for alleged multi-billion naira fraud in the agency.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants converted the sum to their own.

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