EFCC Re-arraigns Ex-NHIS Boss, Dr Femi Thomas, For $2.1m Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on Friday, 8th of March, 2019, re-arraigned Dr. Martins Oluwafemi Thomas, a former Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, and one Kabiru Sidi, a Bureau De Change operator, before Justice Ayokunle Faji sitting in Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on an amended seven-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of $2,198,900.00.
The first defendant, Thomas, according to EFCC counsel Ekele Iheanacho was alleged to have conspired with his wife, Funmi, to make a cash payment of $2,198,900.00 to one Ibitoye Bamidele at their residence on 20, Lagos University Teaching Hospital Road, Idi-Araba, Lagos.
The second defendant, Sidi was also said to have lied to an EFCC investigator, Afeez Mustapha, that he was the owner of the money that the first defendant and his wife transacted with.
One of the counts reads: “That you , Dr Martins Oluwafemi Thomas (a.k.a. Dr. Ike), a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, and Mrs. Femi Thomas (still at large ) on or about the 3rd of July 2015, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, procured Bamidele Ibitoye to remove from the Lagos jurisdiction the sum of $2,198, 900.00 ( Two Million One Hundred and Ninety- eight Thousand , Nine Hundred United States Dollars ) being proceeds of Dr. Martins Oluwafemi’s unlawful enrichment as a former public officer and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 and punishable under Section 15(2) (c) and ( 3) of the Money laundering Prohibition Act, 2011( as amended by Act. No.1 of 2012).”
Another count reads: “That you, Kabiru Sidi, on or about the 15th day of July, 2015, at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, made a false statement to Afeez Mustapha, an investigating officer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 39 2(b)and punishable under Section 39 (2)(c)of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
However, counsel to the first and second defendants Collins Ogbonna and C.A Samson prayed the court to allow their clients to continue on the bail earlier granted when they were first arraigned in 2016 before justice Saliu Saidu.
Consequently justice Faji in his short ruling granted the defendant’s prayer to continue on the existing bail and adjourned further proceeding to 19th 20th and 21st of March for continuations of trial
The judge also ordered the procution to inform Nigerian immigration about the pendency of this case which warrant the defendant’s international passport to be deposited in court.
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