Former AMCON Boss Ahmed Kuru Absent in Court; Bench Warrant Issued for Alleged Abuse of Office Charges
Ahmed Kuru, the former Managing Director of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), was absent in court on Monday, where he was scheduled to face a six-count charge for alleged stealing and abuse of office. Kuru, along with other individuals—including Captain Roy Ilegbodu, the current MD of Arik Air, Kamilu Omokide (the receiver manager of Arik), Union Bank Plc, and Super Bravo Limited—was supposed to be arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos.
The charges stem from complaints made by the founder of Arik Air, Johnson Arumemi, and its shareholders, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana.
The charges include:
- False Statement by Union Bank: The bank allegedly made false statements to AMCON about Arik Air’s loans, which led to a misleading transfer of N71 billion to AMCON, an offense under Lagos State’s Criminal Law.
- Stealing and Fraudulent Conversion: Kuru, Omokide, and Ilegbodu were accused of stealing and fraudulently converting N4.9 billion to NG Eagle Limited’s use.
- Further Fraudulent Conversion: Captain Ilegbodu allegedly stole N22.5 million by fraudulently converting funds meant for Arik Air.
- Abuse of Office: Kuru and Omokide were accused of using their positions to create NG Eagle Limited, for personal gain, violating their official duties.
- Destruction of Property: Kamilu Omokide, Kuru, and Ilegbodu allegedly authorized the destruction of an Arik Air aircraft valued at $31.5 million, which was prejudicial to the company and Nigeria’s economic stability.
As Kuru failed to appear for the hearing, Justice Mojisola Dada issued a bench warrant for his arrest. The case continues to unfold with serious implications for the accused parties, especially regarding their alleged misuse of power and funds.
