The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has discharged and acquitted a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, who was charged with an alleged N2.6billion fraud.
A three-man panel led by Justice Yargatta Nimpar upheld on Friday the no-case submission filed by Akpobolokemi on the criminal charges.
The appellate court overruled the judgment of Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, who dismissed Akpobolokemi’s no-case submission in October last year.
Akpobolokemi and five others were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for allegedly diverting N2.6billion from the coffers of NIMASA between December 2013 and May 2015.
The other accused persons were Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan, Blockz and Stonz Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistics Limited.