EFCC Arraigns Ex-Port Harcourt Refinery MD over Money-laundering Allegations

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned the former Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Mr Ahmed Dikko, before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

Dikko was arraigned alongside a company, Masterpiece Projects & Investment Ltd, on a 12-count criminal charge bordering on money-laundering.

According to the charge, Dikko was alleged to have used about N218.4 million to acquire a property in Katampe extension in Abuja, without passing the funds through a financial institution, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

He however, pleaded not guilty to the entire counts read against him.

Following his not guilty plea, prosecution counsel, Mr Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.

However, Ikechukwu Ajunwa, SAN, who represented the defendants, informed the court of the bail application for the former MD, adding that Dikko had complied with the conditions of the administrative bail earlier granted by the anti-graft agency and would not interfere with the trial or jump bail.

Responding, the prosecution urged the court decline the bail application on grounds contained in his counter-affidavit and written address filed before the court.

In a short ruling, the trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, admitted the defendant to bail, stating that bail is a constitutional right, adding that sufficient grounds must be established before it can be denied an applicant.

Justice Ekwo held that bail is granted in the sum of N150 million with one surety in like sum.

Part of the conditions are that the surety must own landed property within the jurisdiction of the court, submit the title documents for verification by the court registrar, and be a responsible citizen.

The court in addition ordered Dikko to deposit his international passport with the court and the defendant must not travel outside the country without the court’s permission.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned till October 12, October 13 and October 14 for the commencement of trial.

The arraignment comes about two weeks after the EFCC filed separate charges against Dikko and a former MD of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), Mr Jimoh Yisawu, for allegedly diverting funds released for the rehabilitation of the country’s state-owned refineries.

Dikko is further alleged to have received and retained funds from contractors engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, concealing the source of some of the money through third parties and carrying out transactions that allegedly breached the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, among others.