A prosecution witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes ‎Commission (EFCC), Teslim Ajuwon, on Thursday, told an Old Igbosere High Court of Lagos State, on how the sum of N1.5 billion was transferred from Nigerian Maritime Administration Safety Agency (NIMASA) into various companies account.

The witness who was testifying before Justice Raliat Adebiyi led-court said that ‎the money was transferred into various accounts.

Ajuwon who is a Compliance Officer of a new generation bank, told the court that on 29 of August 2014, there was a transfer of the sum of N498.2million in to the count of committee of VIMSAS account.

He further stated that on May 20 2015, the sum of N318million was also transfered from NIMASA into the account of VIMSAS.

The witness who was led in evidence by the EFCC’s counsel Rotimi Oyedepo stated that ‎on the 15th of September 2014, there was a transfer of the sum of N8,550,000 into the account of Auster Ventures.

The EFCC witness also said that there was a transfer of the sum of N11.4 million into the account of Liquid garden ventures ltd on September 29 2014, adding that there was two outward transfer to Kofa Fada Nigeria ltd on October 30, the first transfer was N35 million and the second was N61.8 million.

According to him there was on November 19, 2014, there was an outward transfer of N4.2 million into the account of specialty enterprises West Africa ltd, on May 28 there was an outward transfer of N257 million in favour of Aroward Consulting ltd.

Ajuwon told the court that the EFCC wrote his bank requesting for some customers ‎accounts documents of Vincent Udoye, Liquid Gardens, Committee of VIMSAS and Aroward ltd.

During cross examination the witness admitted that Patrick Apobolokemi is not a signatory to any of the accounts he mentioned.

He also stated that he is not in any position to state the workings of the account mentioned above.

Ajuwon, aslo admitted that the transfers were authorised by NIMASA, but that not being a staff of the agency he did not know the reasons why the monies were disbursed.

He admitted that some of the defendants did not benefit from the transactions he listed.

Earlier, the defendants counsels had opposed the tendering of some documents by the prosecutor. They said that for the protector to tender the documents which he emanated from the bank he needs to certify the documents.

They argued that the document was a private document that needs to be certified before a public entity like EFCC, can tender it in Court.

Ruling on the argument Justice Adebiyi said “This letter is being tendered by the maker not the EFCC, the letter is admissible as it is, it is produced by the maker. The submission by learned counsels that the document requires double certification is unmeritorious and is therefore over ruled.”

Akpobolokemi was arraigned alongside Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Amechee Juan, Vincent Udoye, Captain Adegboyega Sahib Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited.

The first to fifth defendants (Akpobolokemi, Captain Agaba, Nwakuche, Juan, Udoye) were alleged to have between October 30, 2014 and May 6, 2015 converted to their personal use N346,844,680.00 property of NIMASA released to them for the implementation of Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS).

They are standing trial on a 13-count bordering on stealing and forgery, preferred against them by EFCC.

However, the case was further adjourned to April 20, for continuation of trial.

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