Admin l Tuesday, October 24, 2017
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A retired detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Dickson Graymond, today informed an Ikeja High Court that pastor Nsikakabasi Akpan-Jacobs confessed voluntarily that he defrauded Mrs Titi Atiku, the wife of former Vice-president Abubakar Atiku of the sum of N918million.
Graymond, led in evidence by Mr Babatunde Sonoiki, the EFCC prosecuting counsel, said: “There are so many things that he confided to me that he refused to put into writing. He admitted to me that Florence Doregos was Titi Atiku but he refused to put that into writing.
“He confided in me that he wanted to contest in the Akwa-Ibom elections and that as soon as he begs Her Excellency, the matter will be over. All what he told me were not forced, I did not even force him to write all what he confided in me in his confessional statement. All what he said in his statement was of his own free will.”
During cross-examination by Amos Ibe, the retired EFCC detective denied illegally detaining the pastor in EFCC custody for three weeks and denying him access to legal representation.
“The first defendant (Akpan-Jacobs) was served with bail conditions by the EFCC but he could not provide sureties and we could not grant him bail on self recognisance because of the gravity of the case against him. He did not spend three weeks with us but six days and he was given the opportunity to produce a lawyer but he refused saying he will write his statement on his own.
“Dapo and Chima (EFCC operatives) did not force him to write any undertaking,” he said. Graymond also denied bringing Akpan-Jacobs to the Abuja office of the EFCC on the influence of Titi Atiku.
The EFCC had charged Akpan-Jacobs; Abdulmalik Ibrahim, a lawyer; and Dana Motors Ltd with a 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion of property worth N918 million belonging to THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd. Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye adjourned the case till Oct. 25 for continuation of the trial-within-trial.
