I built my hotel with NIMASA’s money – Ex-DG

A former acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Calistus Obi who is being tried for an alleged fraud of N136m, told Lagos High court on Monday that part of the money was channelled into the building of his hotel in Delta State.

EFCC had on April 12, 2016, arraigned Obi, alongside one, Alu Dismas, a former P.A to the immediate past DG of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, and two firms, before the Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on an 8-count charge of converting N331 million belonging to agency for personal use.

While being quizzed by EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness disclosed that he transferred part of the diverted money to a firm known as Seastroke International, which built a hotel for him in Asaba, Delta state.

He, however, claimed he refunded the money when asked to do so by the EFCC.

“I used part of the money to build my hotel constructed by Seastroke International. But the money has since been refunded to the EFCC.

“The hotel is located somewhere in Asaba, Delta State. I can’t recollect the address now. The building is completed and is already functioning. The title documents of the hotel is being processed but I have the Certificate of Occupancy and I can produce it before the court.”Obi said