Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) was re-arrested at the Federal High Court premises in Lagos by security agents on Monday, December 14.
Patrick Akpobolokemi, former DG of NIMASA
He was whisked away from the court premises by the security agents in plain clothes, moments after his trial for allegedly defrauding the federal government was adjourned by Justice Ibrahim Buba to January 18, 2016, The Nation reports.
His protest was however, ignored as he was overpowered and bundled into a waiting bus while onlookers watched.
Effort by his lawyer, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), to intervene and prevent his client’s re-arrest was unsuccessful.
Narrating what happened, Wilson Ajuwa , one of the counsel to the embattled former NIMASA boss, said persons suspected to be SSS operatives appeared with a detachment of policemen and beat Akpobolokemi as he stepped out of the courtroom.
“With the way they treated him, we don’t know whether the man is alive or not. They beat him thoroughly before bundling him into their vehicle. The video is there for people to see,” he said.
Akpobolokemi and three others were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of converting N2.6billion as well as defrauding the federal government to the tune of N795.2million.
They all pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
It was learnt that Akpobolokemi was released from prison custody at the weekend after he met the bail conditions imposed on him by Justice Buba.
The former NIMASA DG and nine others, including two companies, were earlier arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu of the same court on a separate charge of conspiring among themselves to convert N3.4billion belonging to NIMASA. They also pleaded not guilty to the charge.
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