Former Managing Director of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria(AMCON), Ahmed Kuru, was absent in court on Monday,2 December, 2024 where he was to be arraigned on six-count charges, including stealing property worth N4.9 billion belonging to Arik Air and abuse of office.
Kuru, alongside current MD of Arik Air, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, the receiver manager of Arik, Kamilu Omokide, the Union Bank plc, and a company, Super Bravo Limited, were to be arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The complainants in the matter are the founder of Arik, Johnson Arumemi, and its shareholders.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, stood in as the lawyer for Arik’s founder.
The first count involved Union Bank. The bank was accused of making false statements on the financial standing of Arik Air which led to the sale and takeover of the airline by AMCON.
The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 96 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
In count 2, AHMED LAWAL KURU Kamilu Alaba Omokide, as Receiver Manager of Arik Air Limited and others cohorts in 2022 or thereabouts, were alleged to have stolen and fraudulently converted to the use of NG Eagle Limited the total sum of N4,900,000.00 (Four Billion Nine Hundred Million Naira).
The offence of stealing by fraudulent conversion of the property of another is said to be contrary to Section 278(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011. These include three other related counts.
Justice Dada has issued a bench warrant for Karu’s arrest following his absence at the trial.
