I can’t remember when I was appointed, says Perm Sec facing N14m theft charge

* Iloh argues with EFCC prosecutor over N453m in
account

FORMER Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour Mr.
Clement Iloh yesterday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court that he
could not remember the date or year he was appointed as a permanent
secretary.

Iloh is facing trial for allegedly stealing N14 million by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice
Oluwatoyin Taiwo.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Iloh, however, noted that as at 2013, he earned N757,000 as a
Level 17 officer.

When shown the bank account statements of a company, Clement and
Bob, to which he is the sole signatory, Iloh maintained that it was
his business account, which he opened alongside his son.

When Oyedepo showed him that the account has a credit balance of
N453 million, Iloh said: “I don’t know how you jumped into that
amount. What brought me here was a N14 million alleged theft
charge.”

Iloh also denied receiving credit alerts into the account from
several contractors and junior officials in the ministry and
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)
staff.

The former Permanent Secretary’s counsel Chief Bolaji Ayorinde
(SAN), however, raised objection when Oyedepo again showed the
defendant his company’s statement of account where he received N100
million from a Bureau de Change operator while also receiving the
dollar equivalent in cash.

Ayorinde questioned why Oyedepo was trying to get his client to
accept that he received the dollar equivalent of N100 million.

“My Lord, the prosecution is simply trying to get my client to
admit to money laundering charges so that they can file new
charges,” Ayorinde said.

Illoh, however, admitted to collecting another N100 million in
10 tranches of N10 million each, but maintained that the money does
not belong to him.

He explained that the N49 million transferred into his company
account by NIMASA was meant for “community service”.

On further probing by the EFCC prosecuting counsel, the
defendant said the community service he referred to was a SURE P
programme.

He, however, admitted that there was no contract between his
company, Clement and Bob and NIMASA as at the time the N49 million
was paid.

Justice Taiwo thereafter adjourned the matter till November 21
and 22 for continuation of trial.