Alleged N76bn Fraud: Court Grants Ex-AMCON Boss Leave To Travel Abroad

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos Special Offences Court in Ikeja yesterday granted permission for Ahmed Kuru, a former managing director of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), to travel abroad for medical treatment.

Justice Dada also ordered the release of Kuru’s international passport so that he could travel to London, United Kingdom, for treatment.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Kuru, a former receiver manager of Arik Airline Ltd., Kamilu Omokide, the airline’s chief executive officer, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, Union Bank Limited, and Super Bravo Ltd. before the court over allegations of defrauding Arik Air of N76 billion and $31.5 million.

They are facing a six-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, and abuse of office.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

While the specific nature of the illness was not revealed in court, the defendant’s counsel, Oyinkan Badejo-Okusanya, informed the judge that the ex parte application requesting permission for her client to travel abroad contained information that indicated “extreme urgency.”

Counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu (SAN), did not object to the application but claimed that the reason given for the travel may not be the actual reason for the trip.

Shittu informed the court that the anti-graft agency possesses an intelligence report regarding alleged attempts by the first and third defendants to dispose of certain aircraft associated with Arik Air, which is the subject of the criminal trial.

He wondered if the travel application was not merely an alibi to sell any of the assets, but urged the court to order status quo ante bellum and to determine the application based on its merits.

In her reply, Badejo-Okusanya submitted that the alarm sounded by the EFCC counsel did not refer to her client nor affect his application to travel.

Union Bank’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the EFCC’s request, describing it as mere speculation and noting that the intelligence report was not tendered before the court.

He also insisted that his client was a responsible corporate organisation that would not be involved in anything unethical.

After listening to the lawyers, Justice Dada acknowledged the concerns raised by the EFCC counsel but declined to issue any restraining orders to preserve the assets, as no document was exhibited before her to warrant the granting of such an order.

She then adjourned the case to October 10 for continuation of the trial.