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Tag: Arms scam

  • Alleged N13.5bn arms scam: Dasuki stalls proceedings

    Alleged N13.5bn arms scam: Dasuki stalls proceedings

    The trial of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki and others, for a N13.5billion money laundering charge was stalled yesterday. Reason: Dasuki’s counsel filed a motion seeking the merger of other cases involving him.

    Dasuki and four others are facing a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N13, 570b before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The others are former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu;  former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),  Aminu Babakusa and two firms: Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

    At last hearing on May 23, Dasuki’s legal team, represented by Adeola Adedipe, complained about not being allowed access to their client.

    To accommodate Dasuki’s lawyers’ complaint, the trial judge, Justice Husein Baba Yusuf, directed that he should be brought to the court during business hours between Monday and Friday to allow him brief his lawyers.

    He adjourned to June 6 for the commencement of trial and ordered the prosecution to prepare its witnesses.

    When parties got to court yesterday, Joseph Daudu (SAN), who represented Dasuki, informed the court about a fresh motion seeking to consolidate the charges before the court with another case before Justice Peter Affen of the same High Court of the FCT.

    Daudu said: ‘‘It is unconstitutional to try the defendant over a similar matter before two different FCT High Courts.’’

    Other defence lawyers, including former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Akin Olujinmi, acknowledged receipt of the fresh motion by Daudu, but did not object to the commencement of the trial.

    Prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) said Daudu’s motion was intended to delay trial.

    He said: ‘‘There are other parties in the other suit that are put on notice.  Those parties have not shown up (in court today) or served the motion.

    “In fact, there is no date on the motion indicating when the other parties in the other suit should appear before your Lordship, even if they have been served.  Their absence is understandable.’’

    Jacobs argued that Daudu could file the motion, but the court would only decide on it at the end of the trial.

    ‘‘My Lord, I urge you to compel us to proceed with this trial.  Enough of time wasting tactics by the first defendant,” Jacobs said.

    Ruling, Justice Hussein, who expressed discomfort with Daudu’s conduct, initially indicated his intention to proceed with the business of the day, but later adjourned upon the intervention of Olujimi.

    The judge said: ‘‘You should go to the other court and ask that the case be struck out, since this case had first been filed before me. I am going into the trial today.

    ‘‘I have granted you enough respect. So, what you are asking for is an insult on me. If you have a court where people dance to your music, go there. As the matter is, I will give the file to the Chief Judge for re-assignment.”

    At a point, Daudu told the judge that he would not mind if the case was re-assigned.

    In reaction to Daudu’s comment, the judge said: ‘‘People come to court with dishonest motive. I knew this was going to happen. This is what you do.’’

    Olujimi, who represents Salisu, pleaded with the judge to adjourn the case  to enable parties ‘‘ sort out things among ourselves’’.

    Justice Baba-Yusuf adjourned to June 15 for hearing of Daudu’s motion.

     

     

  • $2.1 arms scam: Jonathan named in torn statement by Metuh

    $2.1 arms scam: Jonathan named in torn statement by Metuh

    •EFCC tells court PDP chief regretted he revealed too much

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday demonstrated  to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) how the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, tore the statement he made to investigators, and gave reasons why he attempted to destroy the statement.

    The EFCC, at the commencement of Metuh’s trial before Justice Ishaq Bello, said the PDP chieftain tore the statement on realising that he made reference to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and had implicated himself by admitting that he received money from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    Metuh is facing a three-count charge of destroying his statement and obstructing investigation.

    The first prosecution witness, Junaid Said, who was led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, said he took statement from Metuh, who, he said, later tore a sheet of the four-page statement.

    He said: “My Lord, when he concluded writing his statement, which was on four sheets of the EFCC statement form, I collected the statement and read over it, I then handed the statement over to my superiors Musa and Wetkas. When I was handing over the statement, the defendant said he was surprised that he had written that much and that he felt he had given too much information.

    “Because of the comment, I was worried I gave him the statement sheets one after the other for endorsement. He endorsed the first and second sheet, but tore the third sheet. The third sheet was where the defendant (Metuh) disclosed that he received the money for PDP political activities, settled his personal needs and made reference to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “My lord, he suddenly tore the statement sheet into pieces. In great shock and surprise, I stood up I asked him why he did what he did. He said he did that because he was no longer willing to give the information on that statement sheet.

    “I then requested the pieces of the statement, he declined and attempted to put them in his pocket, I then cautioned him and told him to respect himself. He insisted that he was going to dispose the torn sheet.

    “I persuaded him to handover the torn sheet and brought one plain paper to him. He poured the pieces on the plain sheet. My colleagues were there looking at us in surprise as well. He further tore them into pieces, saying only in the movies would they be recovered.

    “I poured the pieces in the commission’s transparent polythene bag as exhibit and made entry of the incident into the EFCC’s incident duty station diary as well as EFCC’s pocket notebook. Later, in the day he requested to make additional statement, which he made, wrote his name and signed but declined to make any other statement on the torn paper.’’

    The EFCC’s incident duty station diary, EFCC’s pocket notebook and pieces of the torn statement were tendered and admitted as exhibits.

    The witness, under cross examination by Metuh’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) admitted not including the issue of the torn sheet in his statement.

    When Ikpeazu requested for the original copy of the statement, Tahir gave him a photocopy of the statement. He said that the defence should had served him with notice to produce the document.

    Justice Bello said it would be difficult to proceed without the original copy of the witness statement.

    “Documents must meet the status as required by the law; there must be a certified copy of your documents. It is a healthy practice to produce the documents in your custody, especially in a criminal trial,’’ the judge said. He adjourned further hearing to March 16.

    Earlier, Metuh was rearraigned on an amended charge, which now includes a third count. Tahir said the third count of “mischief” contravened Section 326 punishable under Section 327 of the Penal Code.

  •  Court to rule on Metuh’s no-case-submission March 9

     Court to rule on Metuh’s no-case-submission March 9

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, Thursday reserved ruling till March 9 on a no-case-submission filed by Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Metuh filed a no-case-submission in the alleged Money Laundering charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    NAN reports that the Judge, Justice Okon Abang, reserved the date after counsel to the parties adopted their written addresses.

    Abang said that the court’s mandate to either give ruling or deliver judgment on the motion would depend on the merit of the submissions.

    “In the circumstance, the court can only rule if the motion fails and if the motion succeeds the court can only deliver judgment,’’ he said.

    He said that if the motion fails the defendants would open their cases, but if they succeed it means striking out the charges and discharging and acquitting the defendants.

    According to him, depending on which of the two scenarios play out, the court will have to adjourn its decision till March 9.

    Earlier, Dr Onyechi Ikeazu (SAN), Counsel to Metuh and Destra Investment Limited, argued that the motion became necessary as no prima facie was established against Metuh and his company by the prosecution.

    Ikpeazu further argued that the prosecution did not establish the essential elements of the offences brought against his clients.

    “My Lord, this situation renders the case against my clients manifestly unreliable,’’ he said.

    On his part, however, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, the prosecuting counsel, said the prosecution had place essential oral and documentary evidence to warrant the defendants open their defences.

    “We want Metuh to explain the alleged role he played in the illegal diversion of N400 million meant for the procurement of arms.

    “My Lord, the EFCC by preponderance of evidence, establishes that about $2.1billion meant for the procurement of arms was diverted by retired Col. Sambo Dasuki.

    “Metuh, through his company, Destra Investment Limited, was alleged to have pocketed N400 million out of that funds,’’ he said.

  • Metuh funded Jonathan’s campaign with ONSA funds – Witnesses

    Metuh funded Jonathan’s campaign with ONSA funds – Witnesses

    The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, funded the re-election campaign of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan with the funds he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), prosecution witnesses said on Thursday.

    The Managing Director of a Lagos-based public relations firm – CMC Connect – Yomi Badejo-Okusanya and a Bureau de Change operator, Kabiru Ibrahim, testified at the resumed hearing in Metuh’s trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Badejo-Okusanya, who testified as the 5th prosecution witness, explained how he was recruited by the PDP spokesman to develop and execute campaigns for Jonathan.

    Metuh is being tried for allegedly using the N400million he received from ONSA in November 2014, to fund the party’s 2015 presidential campaign.

    Badejo-Okusanya told the court that his firm was engaged to provide media campaign and “image management” job for the PDP and Jonathan.

    The witness said he was paid N77.5mIllion through Destra Investments Limited in December 2014, adding that he started executing the contract towards the end of that month.

    The witness said he was paid before he attended a meeting with Jonathan, ex- vice president Namadi Sambo, former Senate President, David Mark and several other top officials of the last administration, in Abuja.

     

  • Metuh lodged N400m received from ONSA in bank account – Witness

    Metuh lodged N400m received from ONSA in bank account – Witness

    An Account Officer with Diamond Bank Plc, Eno-Mfon Effiong, on Wednesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, lodged the N400 million he allegedly received from the ex- National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, in his company account with the bank.

    Effiong, who managed the account of Metuh’s Destra Investment Limited at Diamond Bank, said the account was opened in February 2013.

    She said Metuh and the company maintain five accounts with the bank.

    Effiong, who was lead in evidence by the lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, said the balance in Destra’s account as at November 24, 2014 was N6, 676,576.06 before the payment of N400 million by ONSA.

    The witness said the company’s account statement showed that the money was paid by ONSA.

    “Also on January 4, 2016, the EFCC sent another letter to Diamond Bank Plc requesting additional information on the instruments that were used in carrying out some transactions on Destra Investments Limited’s account. The bank also forwarded the documents to the EFCC.

    “The instruments were cheques for payments. I can’t recall all of them,” the witness said.

     

  • Attempt to indict me in arms scam a joke – Okonjo-Iweala

    A former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has described as a joke attempt by Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, to link her to the raging $2.1 billion arms scandal.

    A statement issued by her media adviser, Paul Nwabuikwu, said the ex-minister “has absolutely nothing to do with the alleged misuse of $2.1billion by the office of the former National Security Adviser.”

    The statement said, “Falana and his sponsors are simply trying to invent a connection where there is none.”

    Okonjo-Iweala she sought and received the approval of former President Goodluck Jonathan for the release of part of the returned Abacha funds to the ex- NSA, Sambo Dasuki, for purchase of arms which is totally separate from the $2.1 billion.”

    She added: “Some of the funds recovery was done under the regime of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo when Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was not even in government.”

    During her time as Finance minister in the Obasanjo administration, Okonjo-Iweala said $500million was recovered by the government.

    “As documented by the field study conducted by the World Bank with the assistance of national and international NGOs, this amount was properly applied. Falana’s insistence on the contrary shows how despicable he is and how he is ready to ignore facts and concoct a fiction in the service of his sponsors,” the ex-minister stated.

  • Court adjourns Dasuki’s trial over lawyers’ absence

    Court adjourns Dasuki’s trial over lawyers’ absence

    A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday adjourned the trial of the ex National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, till Friday, due to the absence of his lawyers.

    Dasuki is standing trial for alleged diversion of $2.1billion arms procurement fund.

    The presiding judge, Justice Baba Yusuf, took the decision after he was informed that Dasuki’s lawyers – Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN) – are attending an  election petition tribunal’s sitting in Kogi.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), did not oppose Dasuki’s lawyers’ request for adjournment.

    The judge later fixed 11:00am on Friday for resumption of hearing in the case.

     

     

     

  • Arms scam: Buhari orders probe of ex-service chiefs, others

    Arms scam: Buhari orders probe of ex-service chiefs, others

    … Alex Badeh, M.D Umar, others to face EFCC

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate former service chiefs and other people connected to the arms purchases scandal in the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and several others have been fingered in the scam.

    A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, said the President took the decision to investigate the former service chiefs based on the report of a Presidential audit committee which indicted the ex- military top brass.

    Some serving military officers and 21 firms linked to the scandal will also be investigated by the EFCC.

    The statement reads: “On the recommendation of the committee established to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out further investigation into the misconduct established against the following retired and serving officers of the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army:

    The 20 military officers affected are- Air Chief Marshal Alex ​Badeh (rtd), Air Marshal ​M.D ​Umar  (rtd), Air Marshal​ A.N ​Amosu (rtd), Maj-​Gen. ​E.R ​Chioba (rtd), AVM​​ I.A​ Balogun (rtd), AVM ​A.G​ Tsakr ​ (rtd)

    Others are – AVM​​ A.G​ Idowu (rtd), AVM ​A.M ​Mamu, AVM ​O.T ​Oguntoyinbo, AVM ​T ​.Omenyi, AVM ​J.B ​Adigun, AVM​​ R.A ​Ojuawo, AVM ​​J.A ​Kayode-Beckley, Air Cdre ​S.A ​Yushau (rtd), Air Cdre ​A.O ​Ogunjobi, Air Cdre​ G.M.D ​Gwani, Air Cdre S.O ​Makinde, Air Cdre A.Y ​Lassa​, Col. ​​N ​Ashinze and Lt Col. ​M.S ​Dasuki (rtd)

    “Following the submission of the audit committee’s second interim report, President Buhari has directed the EFCC to investigate the roles of the officers and the following companies and their directors in fundamental breaches associated with the procurements by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

     

  • We didn’t ask Jonathan to speak on arms scam – PDP

    We didn’t ask Jonathan to speak on arms scam – PDP

    The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has denied that the party asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to open up on the $2.1 billion arms scandal.

    At least 12 prominent PDP chieftains, including a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki are standing trial for their role in the sharing of the money meant for arms procurement under the Jonathan administration.

    The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Jalo, had at a press briefing on Monday, called on the ex-President to respond to the claims by Dasuki that the money was shared on his directives.

    But speaking at the party’s constitution amendment forum in Abuja on Tuesday, Secondus said Jalo spoke for himself and that his views did not represent the position of the PDP leadership.

    “Let me make it clear to you that Jalo was only expressing his personal opinion because his views did not represent the position of the party.

    “There was no time we discussed at the National Executive Committee (NEC) that Jonathan should speak on the arms deal scandal. There was no time such a thing came up at the NEC. So Jalo must be expressing his personal opinion,” Secondus said.

    The chairman decried the continued detention of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh and other party chieftains by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Metuh allegedly collected N400 million of the arms cash from Dasuki and was also reported to have collected various sums, which added up to N1.4 billion through Destra Investment Limited, a company in which he holds a substantial stake.

    Secondus called on the EFCC to release Metuh immediately, saying his continued detention was against the rule of law and a breach of his fundamental human right.