EFCC Arraigns Ex-Nigerian Railway MD For Alleged N165.4m, $385,000 Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria Edetanle, before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja over allegations of Fraud.

The anti-graft agency specifically accused Edetanle of defrauding NRC of the sums of N165,438,000.00 and $385,000 while serving as Managing Director of the corporation.

The defendant was docked before Justice Rahman Oshodi on a seven-count charge of abuse of office, money laundering, and unlawful enrichment by a public official.

The EFCC prosecutor, Abba Muhammad, informed the judge that the defendant committed the offences between May 29, 2024, and September 11, 2024, in Lagos.

Muhammad also told the court that the offences are contrary to sections 332(1), 332(3), 73(1), and 82(c) of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2011.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Based on his plea, the prosecutor requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending trial.

However, the defence lawyer, Adebowale Kamoru, claimed that he had just received the charge and requested a brief adjournment to file a bail application.

After listening to the lawyers, Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to May 13 for further proceedings and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility pending the determination of his bail application.

One of the charges states: “That you, Fidet Okhiria Edetanle, while serving as Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, between May 29, 2024, and September 11, 2024, in Lagos, committed money laundering by transferring $205,000.00 from your Access Bank domiciliary account, proceeds of unlawful activities, to Ehimen Richard Okhiria’s account at ABN AMRO Bank in the Netherlands.”

Another charge read: “You, Fidet Okhiria Edetanle, after leaving office as NRC MD, between October 21, 2024, and November 21, 2024, in Lagos, committed money laundering by transferring $40,000.00 from your Access Bank account to Ehimen Richard Okhiria’s account at ABN AMRO Bank, Netherlands.”