Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Court admits more evidence against former NHIS executive secretary

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja
22 February 2019   |   3:00 am
Justice Olayinka Faji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday, admitted a document tendered in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) against Dr. Martins Thomas, former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). EFCC’s acting spokesperson, Tony Orilade, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja. Thomas was…

NHIS building

Justice Olayinka Faji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday, admitted a document tendered in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) against Dr. Martins Thomas, former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

EFCC’s acting spokesperson, Tony Orilade, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

Thomas was re-arraigned alongside one Kabiru Sidi, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, on June 28, 2017 on an amended six-count charge of money laundering to the tune of $2,198,900.

He allegedly conspired with his wife, Femi, to pay the money to one Ibitoye Bamidele at their residence on 20, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba.

The second defendant, Sidi, was also said to have lied to an EFCC investigator, Afeez Mustapha, that he was the owner of the money the first defendant and his wife transacted with.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, a prosecution witness, Emmanuel Egwu, who is the Director of Finance, NHIS, gave a breakdown of the total entitlements, salaries and emoluments received by Thomas while he worked at the NHIS between November 2013 and May 2015.

Egwu, the third prosecution witness (PW3), while being led in evidence by counsel to the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho, revealed that the total money Thomas received in his official capacity was N62,919,154.75.

When Egwu sought to tender the said documents as evidence, there was no objection by counsel to the defendants.

The documents were, thereafter, admitted in evidence as exhibits F1 and F2.

Consequently, Justice Faji adjourned the case till March 8, 19 and 20, 2019 for continuation of trial.

0 Comments