N395m Railway Fraud: Witness Links N268.5m Contractor Payments to NRC Director’s Account

A compliance officer from Access Bank last Thursday told a Lagos court how N268,503,653 flowed into the personal account of a top Nigerian Railway Corporation director from firms handling NRC contracts — testimony that anchors the EFCC’s N395.1m fraud case against him.

Oche Jerry Ogbole-Inalegwu, Director of Mechanical Services at the NRC, is standing trial before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on a nine-count charge filed February 25, 2026. He denies the allegations.

Led by lead prosecution counsel Abba Mohammed, SAN, the First Prosecution Witness — Head of Compliance at Access Bank — narrated payments made into Ogbole-Inalegwu’s Access Bank account 0018021498 between February 12, 2019 and October 8, 2025.

The money, totaling N268,503,653, came from 20 entities, including China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), Abads Ventures Ltd, Lovcom Associate, Naophil Enterprises, Benches Nig. Ltd, Waliki Nig. Ltd, Syero Associate, Luscord International, Tinola Global, and Romint Nig. Ltd, among others.

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One charge sheeted against Ogbole-Inalegwu alleges he received N11,397,500 from CCECC through his company, Altech Engineering Services, “on account of contracts awarded to CCECC” while serving as Railway District Manager.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Modechi Adejoh, the witness was quizzed on how banks narrate transactions and identify senders and receivers. He told the court that “banks apply different narrative styles about transactions.”

Justice Dada discharged the witness after submissions from counsel and adjourned the matter to June 4, 2026 for continuation of trial.

Ogbole-Inalegwu faces allegations of corruption and conflict of interest for allegedly collecting kickbacks from NRC contractors through Altech Engineering Services. The EFCC puts the total sum in question at N395,190,600.

Trial continues.