A former Managing Director of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Ahmed Lawal Kuru, on Thursday appeared before the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court for trial in a case of over N130billion fraud.
SaharaReporters reported last Tuesday that the EFCC filed six-count criminal charges against several individuals and organisations, including Ahmed Lawal Kuru, and the Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.
The charges, which SaharaReporters obtained last Tuesday, alleged their involvement in the mismanagement of funds belonging to Arik Air Limited totalling a staggering N130billion.
The charges are in the case filed at the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court, October 29, 2024, between Federal Republic of Nigeria as Complainant and Kamilu Alaba Omokide, Ahmed Lawal Kuru, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Super Bravo Limited as the 1st to 5th Defendants.
Meanwhile, Ahmed Kuru physically appeared in court on Thursday as his lawyer, Olasupo Shashore, SAN, openly apologised for his client’s earlier failure to appear in court.
Moving the application while the defendant was docked, Shashore apologised profusely to the court for the default of the defendant at the arraignment, stating that the defendant was not aware of the charge at the time.
He however undertook to produce the defendant on the adjourned date and during the trial.
The prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN did not oppose the application, citing the credibility of the defendant`s counsel and indeed the presence of the defendant at the application hearing.
He however averred that the court should make a judidcial notice of the fact that the argument that the defendant was not aware of the charge and arraignment is false, as there was a representation in Court for the defendant at the 3 December court session.
The court therefore ruled on the application by vacating the bench warrant, and admitted the undertaking of the defendant`s counsel to produce him in court at the adjourned date, January 20, 2025, for arraignment.
Justice Mojisola Dada relied on Kuru’s appearance and the undertaking by Shashore SAN to produce him on 20th January 2025 to revoke the bench warrant of the 2nd defendant.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Kuru was absent in court during the arraignment on Tuesday, December 3. Consequently the trial judge had issued a bench warrant against him.
However in a letter through his law firm, Africa Law Practice NG & Company, to the Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukayode, dated December 3, Shasore undertook to produce his client in the next adjourned date for his arraignment.
The Nigerian government had also filed another six-count criminal charges against Ahmed Lawal Kuru for diverting N20billion public funds.
The charges, which SaharaReporters obtained on Thursday, alleged the involvement of Ahmed Kuru and others in conspiracy and stealing of the Property of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) “through the Heritage bank Limited to the use of SIGMA GOLF NIGERIA LIMITED for the acquisition of Keystone Bank Limited.”
According to the court documents, the charges filed at the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court, October 24, 2024 are between Federal Republic of Nigeria and Ahmed Lawal Kuru, Umaru Hamidu Modibbo and Sigma Golf Nigeria Limited as the 1st to 3rd Defendants.
The suit marked REF/95870/2024, was filed by Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa, SAN; Abba Mohammad, SAN, Bilkisu Buhari Bala, Esq, Suleiman I. Suleiman, Esq, Chineye. C. Okezie, Esq, Muhammed Abbas Omeiza, Esq, Hannatu Umar Kofarnaisa, Esq, Zeenat Atiku Bala, Esq, Abubakar Salihu Wara, Esq on behalf of the federal government
Mr Ahmed Kuru one of the defendants in the matter of FRN Vs Union Bank, Ahmed Kuuru & Ors, Mr Ahmed Kuru was present in court today at the hearing of the application for the vacation of the bench warrant issued by the Lagos High Court when he, Ahmed Kuru failed to show up at the arraignment on Tuesday 3 December 2024.
Kuru, alongside current MD of Arik Air, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, the receiver manager of Arik, Kamilu Omokide, the Union Bank plc and a company, Super Bravo Limited, were brought before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the first count, Union Bank is charged with making a false statement to a public officer with the intention of causing and/or inducing unwarranted sale of Arik Air loans and bank guarantees with Union Bank, making false statements to the Assets Management Cooperation of Nigeria (AMCON) regarding Arik Air Limited’s performing loans following which it transferred a bogus figure of N71,000,000,000.00 (Seventy One Billion Naira) to AMCON.
The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 96 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
In count 2, AHMED LAWAL KURU Kamilu Alaba Omokide as Receiver Manager of Arik Air Limited and CAPTAIN ROY ILEGBODU Chief Executive Officer of Arik Air Limited in Receivership, sometime in 2022 or thereabout, were alleged to have stolen and fraudulently converted to the use of NG Eagle Limited the total sum of N4,900,000.00 (Four Billion Nine Hundred Million Naira.
The offence of stealing by fraudulent conversion of the property of another is said to be contrary to Section 278(1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
In count 3, it was alleged that CAPT. ROY ILEGBODU as MD/CEO of Arik Air Ltd in receivership, in May, 2024 or thereabout, did steal the sum of N22,500,000.00 (Twenty-Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) by fraudulently converting same to the use of Magashi Ali Mohammed property of Arik Air Ltd.
In count 4, it was alleged that AHMED LAWAL KURU as Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and KAMILU ALABA OMOKIDE as Receiver/Manager of Arik Air Ltd. being public officers,on 11th July,2019 or thereabout in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your offices an arbitrary act, to wit: intentionally and in violation of the discharge of your functions incorporated a Company called NG Eagle Limited, RC Number 1600277 for the purpose of obtaining undue advantage for yourself and or cronies.
The office of abuse of office is contrary to and punishable under Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
In count 5, KAMILU ALABA OMOKIDE, AHMED LAWAL KURU AND CAPT. ROY ILEGBODU on the 12th day of February, 2022 or thereabout, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court being public officers directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office and with intention of obtaining undue advantage for yourself and cronies an arbitrary act, to wit: intentionally authorizing the teardown and destruction of 5N-JEA with Serial No. 15058 valued at $31.5M (Thirty-One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars), an arbitrary act, which act is prejudicial to the economic stability of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Arik Air Limited.
In count 6, KAMILU ALABA OMOKIDE, AHMED LAWAL KURU, and SUPER BRAVO LIMITED on the 29th day of November,2023 or thereabout in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to the use of Super Bravo Limited three (3) Boeing aircrafts known as Manufacturer Serial Number 33944 Registration Number 5N MJG, Manufacturer Serial Number 35638 Registration Number 5N MJN and Manufacturer Serial Number 34761Registration Number 5N MJE property of Arik Air Limited.
The offence of stealing by dishonestly taking the property of another is contrary to Section 278(1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.