By Abiola Olawale
After several trials, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has finally hauled and arraigned a former Managing Director of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Ahmed Kuru, before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos State on Monday.
Kuru alongside the current Managing Director of Arik Air, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, and Receiver Manager of Arik Air. Kamilu Omokide, alongside Union Bank Plc and Super Bravo Limited, were arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos on a six-count charge bordering on alleged theft of properties belonging to Arik Air and abuse of office.
The New Diplomat reports that the petitioners in the matter are the founder of Arik, Johnson Arumemi, and its shareholders. The petition was signed on their behalf, by their lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) Femi Falana.
The charges stem from activities relating to Arik Air Limited, where Kuru was accused alongside Captain Ilegbodu, Omokide, Union Bank Nigeria Plc, and Super Bravo Limited of corruption and illicit activities. They also face allegations of making false statements, fraudulent conversion, abuse of office, stealing, and dishonest conversion of property to personal and selfish use.
These accusations point to mismanagement of funds and assets in connection with Arik Air, which was taken over by AMCON when it faced financial difficulties.
In the first count, Union Bank is charged with making a false statement to a public officer to cause-induce 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 offense 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 offense 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 another party.
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 his offices an arbitrary act, to wit: intentionally and in violation of the discharge of his functions incorporated a Company called NG Eagle Limited, RC Number 1600277 to obtain undue advantage for himself and or cronies.
However, all the defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
