The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Ngozi Olejeme, former chairperson of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of ₦1 billion money laundering.
Naija News reports that Olejeme, who served as NSITF board chair between 2012 and 2015, was brought before Justice Emeka Nwite on Wednesday on an eight-count charge bordering on converting, transferring, procuring, and taking possession of proceeds of unlawful activity.
According to the EFCC’s charge sheet, Olejeme allegedly diverted several funds belonging to the NSITF while in office.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Mrs. Ngozi Olejeme, while being the board chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), sometime in February 2012, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, indirectly converted the sum of ₦321,600,000 paid into the Sterling Bank account of Adin Miles International Ltd on February 9, 2012, knowing that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activity, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(b) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).”
Another count accused her of procuring one Chuka C. Eze to convert $2 million into naira for payment to the same company, despite knowing that the funds were linked to unlawful activity.
Olejeme pleaded not guilty to all charges. Following her plea, EFCC counsel Emenike Mgbemele requested a trial date, disclosing that the prosecution intends to call 14 witnesses to testify.
However, defence counsel Emeka Ogboguo urged the court to take note of a pending bail application filed on behalf of his client.
Justice Emeka Nwite subsequently ordered that the defendant be released to her counsel pending the hearing of the bail application and adjourned the case to November 17 for further proceedings.
The EFCC had earlier declared Olejeme wanted in September 2017 over allegations of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and money laundering amounting to ₦69 billion.
In July 2020, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the interim forfeiture of 48 properties allegedly linked to her, while in October 2021, she was arraigned before an FCT High Court on a separate nine-count charge filed by the anti-graft agency.
Olejeme’s latest arraignment marks a continuation of the EFCC’s long-running probe into alleged large-scale corruption at the NSITF during her tenure as board chair.
