The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, docked the former Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Mr. Emeka Mba, before the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole over alleged complicity in a N2.9billion fraud.
Mba was arraigned alongside the Director of Finance and Accounts at the NBC, Mr. Patrick Areh, and two business men that were allegedly used to launder funds, Mr. Basil Udotai and Babatunji Amure.
The four defendants pleaded not guilty to an amended 15-count money laundering charge which the EFCC preferred against them. The EFCC alleged that Mba and Areh used their positions at the NBC to corruptly enrich themselves by illegally diverting funds into Zenith Bank Plc accounts of companies operated by the 3rd and 4th defendants.
It said the funds were subsequently wired back to Mba and Areh via bank accounts belonging to Bureau-de-change operators.
But the defendants through their respective counsels, Mr. S. I. Ameh, SAN, I.F. Chude, James Onoja, SAN, and E.C. Ani, urged the court to release their clients on bail pending hearing and determination of charges against them. EFCC lawyer, Mr. Ikani, while opposing their bail request, urged the court to impose conditions that would compel attendance of the defendants during the next sitting.
