Prosecution leads more evidence in trial of ex NIMASA DG

The prosecution on Monday led more evidence before a Federal High Court Lagos in the trial of a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Raymond Omatseye, charged with contract scam.
Omatseye is standing trial on an amended 27-count charge of alleged contract scam.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the prosecutor, Chief Godwin Obla (SAN), called the third prosecution witness, Aliyu Aliyu, a staff of the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The witness told the court that the award of contracts by any government agency must be advertised in two national dailies.
Aliyu said that this requirement was in line with the procurement process, to enable eligible companies indicate their interest in the bid.
Aliyu said that any contract, which did not comply with the procedure, was rendered a nullity.
He told the court that there was a publication in The Punch Newspaper of August 14, 2009 of an invitation for a pre-qualification evaluation, for the supply of generating sets to NIMASA.
Aliyu said that a summary of the evaluation was published in The Guardian newspaper of September 11, 2009, in which the names of 21 companies, which qualified for the bid, were listed.
According to the witness, the contract was, however, awarded to Daniel Holdings Limited, a company which was not among those listed in the publication.
After listening to the testimony of the witness, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia adjourned the case till March 11 for continuation of trial.
Omatseye was re-arraigned on January 21, 2013.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail.
In the charge, the accused was said to have been involved in contract splitting and bid rigging estimated at over N1.5 billion.
The offences contravened Sections 14(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, and Sections 58(4) (d) of the Public Procurement Act 2007.