The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Managing Director Fidet Okhiria Edetanle over alleged financial offences involving $385,000 and ₦165.4 million.
Edetanle appeared before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi. He faces eight counts bordering on money laundering, abuse of office and unlawful enrichment by a public official.
The former NRC chief pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Okhiria Alleged Fraud: EFCC Details Dollar Transfers
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences violate provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
EFCC counsel, Abba Muhammad (SAN), asked the court to schedule the case for trial and remand the defendant pending further proceedings.
However, defence counsel Adebowale Kamoru told the court he had only just received the charge. He requested a short adjournment to prepare and file a bail application.
Justice Oshodi ordered that Edetanle be remanded in a Nigerian Correctional Service facility.
The Okhiria alleged fraud case centres partly on transactions the EFCC linked to the former NRC managing director’s bank account.
The commission alleged that between May 29 and September 11, 2024, while Edetanle was in office, he transferred $205,000 from his Access Bank domiciliary account to an account belonging to Ehimen Richard Okhiria at ABN AMRO Bank in the Netherlands.
The prosecution alleged that the money represented proceeds of unlawful activities.
EFCC Alleges Further Transfers After He Left Office
The anti-graft agency also alleged that Edetanle transferred another $40,000 from the same account to the Dutch bank account between October 21 and November 21, 2024, after leaving office.
The EFCC claims the transactions formed part of the alleged financial offences under investigation.
The Okhiria alleged fraud charges also include an alleged ₦165.4 million component. However, the available report does not provide details of the transactions linked to that amount.
The defendant has denied all eight charges by pleading not guilty. The allegations remain before the court and have not been established as proven offences.
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