A former Chief of Air Staff, Mohammed Umar told a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, that he was ready to settle out-of-court in the N4.8 billion fraud case against him.
He is facing a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Umar, who was first arraigned on May 11, 2016, appeared before Justice Binta Nyako. However, he pleaded not guilty.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Air Marshall Mohammed Dikko Umar,whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force between September 2010 to September 2012 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court directly converted the United States Dollar equivalent of the aggregate sum of N4,846,630,000,00(Four Billion, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Six Million, Six Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira) only removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Airforce, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act,2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Umar’s counsel, Mr. Hassan Liman (SAN), told the court that he is dialoguing with the commission with a view to settle the allegation preferred against him by the FG out of court.
Liman informed the court that the defence had two meetings with the officials of the EFCC including its legal department and that the prosecuting counsel Tahir Sylvanus, also attended one of the meeting which was geared on the possibility of resolving the matter out of court.
EFCC Counsel that the defence had written a letter to the EFCC seeking to engage the FG over the charge.
He also confirmed that there was a meeting held with officials of the anti-graft agency which he participated but that notwithstanding, he urged the court to proceed with the trial since it is not a civil case.
The Judge thereafter gave the defendant 7 days to file all the necessary processes and adjourned the matter to June 16, 2016.
