News
Just In: Court Acquits Tompolo, Others Of N34bn Fraud
Published
5 years agoon
By
Editor
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed the entire 40 counts bordering on alleged N34bn fraud filed by the Federal Government against Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, a company linked to a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
The other defendants in the case were a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpolokemi, Kime Engozu, Rex Elem, Gregory Mbonu and Warredi Enisuoh.
Three other firms – Odimiri Electrical Limited; Boloboere Property and Estate Limited; and Destre Consult Limited – were also defendants in the criminal case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2015.
READ ALSO: Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu’s Aides In Verbal War Over Alleged N20b Loan
Tompolo was initially joined as the first defendant in the case, but following his refusal to answer repeated court summonses, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), who handled the case for the EFCC, had to apply to the court that Tompolo’s name be removed from the charge sheet.
In a ruling on Wednesday on the defendants’ no-case submission, Justice Ibrahim Buba, pronounced that the prosecution “failed to establish a prima facie case” against the defendants.
He, therefore, dismissed the entire 40 counts filed against the defendants by the EFCC, through Keyamo, and set them free.
READ ALSO: N20b Loan: Group Protests, Rolls Out State’s Indebtedness
In the charges, the EFCC had accused the defendants of conspiring among themselves to divert various sums running into over N34bn, belonging to NIMASA to their personal use.
The EFCC said they acted contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and were liable to punishment under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
The first count of the amended 40 counts read, “That you, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo), Patrick Akpobolokemi and Global West Vessel Specialist Limited in 2012, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: conversion of the sum of N601, 516.13 and $1,766,428.62, property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, knowing that the said sums were proceeds of stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
READ ALSO: The Land Of Shameless Leaders (III)
The defendants had, during their arraignment four years ago, al
(PUNCH)
(PHOTO: File)
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First female lawyer in the old Mid-West region, Grace Ogbemi, is dead.
She died in Lagos at the age of 89 just a week before her 90th birthday.
Before her death, she was a successful Itsekiri businessman and politician.
Born in Warri July 11, 1935 to Chief Reece Edukugho, Madam Grace Ogbemi was called to the English Bar in 1958, becoming the first female lawyer in the Mid-West Region, now Edo and Delta states.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Olubadan, Oba Olakulehin, Is Dead
She was a partner in the law firm of Godfrey Amachree Ogbemi & Co.
She got married to Franklin Ogbemi, a Chartered Engineer.
She died on July 5, 2025.
News
Why We Refused To Vote, Opted For Football – Lagos Youths
Published
1 hour agoon
July 12, 2025By
Editor
While election officials and stakeholders made repeated calls for civic participation in the ongoing local government polls in Lagos, some young residents of Alausa, Ikeja, chose football over voting.
Between 9am and 2pm on Saturday, during the peak of the electioneering process, groups of youths were seen at three different spots in Alausa engrossed in football matches instead of heading to polling units.
When approached by our correspondent, many of them cited a lack of trust in the electoral outcome as the reason for staying away from the polls.
“You can’t force me to vote. I chose to play ball, and why will I vote?” said Ayomikun Ola, one of the youths.
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Another young man, Opeyemi Omoemi, was blunt in his response: “We all know that it’s the APC that wins all, as usual. So there is no need for me to disturb myself.”
Wasiu, also found on the field, said, “Bro, there is no need. I am satisfied with the football than the vote.”
Bayo, who joined the game, explained that he was underage. “I haven’t clocked 18, that’s why I didn’t vote. The best is to play football,” he said.
A young woman, Seriki Ganiyat, attending to customers at her shop nearby, said she could not afford to leave her business for the election.
READ ALSO: LASIEC Releases Validated Candidates’ List Gor Lagos LG Polls
“It’s not necessary. I have children to feed. Imagine if I had to leave my shop to go and vote. What for and what will my children eat this night?” she asked.
Their views reflect a broader pattern of low voter turnout and widespread apathy observed across many polling units.
At Polling Unit 003, Ward 7, only 61 out of 1,000 registered voters had voted as of 1:05pm.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Vote Counting Begins In Yaba
Similarly, at PU 007 of the same ward, only 30 people had cast their ballots by 1pm., while PU 031 had recorded just four voters out of 29 by 1:12 p.m.
At PU 026, only one voter had shown up out of 21 registered. PU 027 recorded just five votes from 62 registered voters by 1:43pm.
In Ward F, PU 011, 45 voters turned up from a total of 908. PU 085 had no votes cast at all by 1:45pm, despite having four registered voters.
Ward C’s PU 004, with 913 registered voters, recorded just 30 ballots as of 1:47pm. At Ward F, PU 036, only 50 out of 986 had voted by 1:51pm.
(PUNCH)

Vote counting has officially commenced at Polling Unit 024 in Ward B, Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos, marking the winding down of the 2025 local government election across the state.
However, the conclusion of the poll has been overshadowed by a pervasive low voter turnout, raising questions about the exercise’s overall impact.
“The lack of voter enthusiasm could impact the credibility and inclusiveness of the exercise,” an election observer noted, reflecting a sentiment shared by many watching the democratic process unfold.
READ ALSO: Lagos Police Deploys 30,000 Officers For LG Polls
This concern comes as officials at Polling Unit 002, located in the same Ward B, continued to await the arrival of voters even as counting began elsewhere.
Despite a generally peaceful atmosphere reported across various polling units, voter turnout remained significantly low in many parts of Yaba.
At Ward F, 012, situated along Iwaya Road, voting was still ongoing as of press time, with officials describing the turnout as notably lower than anticipated.
READ ALSO: LASIEC Releases Validated Candidates’ List Gor Lagos LG Polls
Similar reports echoed from other sections of Iwaya, where Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission officials observed a sluggish pace of voting activity throughout the day.
In contrast, Ward G at St. Timothy College presented a more active scene, with multiple polling units—including 001, 002, 003, 004, and 005—conducting voting in an orderly manner.
This provided a glimpse of the organised process, even amidst the broader challenges of voter engagement.
Election observers, while commending the largely calm and disruption-free process, reiterated their concerns that the palpable lack of voter enthusiasm could indeed impact the credibility and inclusiveness of the local government elections.
LASIEC officials have continued their efforts to encourage eligible voters to come out and cast their ballots before the scheduled close of voting at 3pm.
(PUNCH)
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