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Tag: EFCC

  • Court orders EFCC to charge lawyer, ex-senator by March 28

    The FCT High Court, Apo, on Tuesday ordered the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to charge an Abuja-based lawyer, Monday Ubani and a former Senator, Christopher Enai to court or release them on bail on or before March, 28.

    Justice Silvanus Oriji , gave the order after listening to the submissions of the applicants in an ex-parte motion filed by their counsel Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

    The judge also in alternative granted bail to the applicants in the sum of N50 million with two reasonable sureties, who must must be civil servants on level 15.

    The court had also ordered that the applicants must deposit their international passport.

    READ ALSO: Alleged N13b fraud: EFCC declares ex-NIA boss, wife wanted

    Ozekhome, counsel to the applicants, in the motion exparte prayed the court to order the EFCC to grant the applicants bail on self-recognizance or liberal terms pending arraignment.

    He also prayed an order of the court to direct the EFCC to immediately release the applicant on bail pending formal arraignment of applications before a court.

    He also prayed  an order of the court  directing the  respondent whether by themselves, their  agents ,employee, operatives, detectives, investigating officers to produce the applicants before a court on next adjourned date of this matter.

    The Senior Advocate also stated that the applicants have been detained beyond the constitutionally provided limit by the EFCC.

    Ubani, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch and Enai, ex-senator representing Bayelsa were invited and detained by the EFCC operatives on March, 19.

    The applicants were detained for standing as sureties for Ngozi Olejeme, who once served as the Chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund from 2009 to 2015.

    They are yet to be charge to court by the EFCC.

     

  • N1.3trn public funds stolen in four years, says Magu

    A WHOPPING N1.3 trillion public funds were stolen by 32 entities (human and corporate) between 2011 and 2015, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu has said.

    Magu made the revelation yesterday in his keynote remarks at the opening of the 2019 First Batch Conversion Training Programme to Procurement Cadre for Federal Parastatal and Agencies.

    The event was organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Lagos.

    The EFCC chair, whose paper was delivered by the Commission’s Secretary, Ola Olukoyede, decried the impact of the huge financial loss on the country.

    He said: “One third of this money, using World Bank rates and cost, could have comfortably been used to construct well over 500km of roads; build close to 200 schools; educate about 4000 children from primary to tertiary levels at N25 million per child; build 20,000 units of two-bedroom houses across the country and do even more.

    “The cost of this grand theft, therefore, is that these roads, schools and houses will never be built and these children will never have access to quality education because a few rapacious individuals had cornered for themselves what would have helped secure the lives of the future generations, thereby depriving them of quality education and healthcare, among others.”

    He identified the poor state of procurement process as one of the major reasons corruption continued to thrive in government agencies and parastatals.

    Magus listed some of the fraudulent practices in procurement process in Nigeria to include: kickbacks, conflict of interests, fraud in the bidding process, bid suppression, collusive bidding, bid rotation and market division.

    Others, according to him are: co-mingling of contracts, change order abuse, cost mischarging, defective pricing, false statement and claim, phantom vendors, product substitution, unnecessary purchases and purchases for personal use or resale.

    The EFCC chair noted that the training was aimed at giving the participants the tools, knowledge and understanding they would need to carry out their duties in their respective places of primary assignments in an efficient and transparent manner.

    “I sincerely hope that at the end of this training, we will see a few cases of financial propriety in our procurement processes in government agencies and parastatal. Indeed, corruption could kill Nigeria, if we do not scale up our proficiency in contract and procurement management process,” Magu said.

    Read also: Magu: Looters now stash funds in Seychelles, South Africa, Niger, Ghana

    Giving insights into what necessitated the establishment of the EFCC in 2003, he said: “The establishment of the EFCC in 2003 was because of the determination of the Federal Government to combat fraudulent activities of some Nigerians and foreigners, mismanagement in the economic sector, corruption by public officials and lack of accountability and transparency in government dealings.”

    Magu expressed confidence that Nigeria still has patriotic and credible individuals who would do all within their abilities to uphold the credibility and honesty required for leadership in public offices.

  • N1.3trn stolen in four years by 32 entities—Magu

    The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu on Monday said public funds stolen by 32 entities (human and corporate) between 2011 and 2015 was well over N1.3 trillion.

    Magu disclosed this in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2019 First Batch Conversion Training Programme to Procurement Cadre for Federal Parastatal and Agencies, organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Lagos on Monday, March 25, 2019.

    In the paper delivered on his behalf by the Commission’s Secretary, Ola Olukoyede, Magu decried this huge financial loss on the country.

    He said: “One third of this money, using world bank rates and cost, could have comfortably been used to construct well over 500km of roads; build close to 200 schools; educate about 4000 children from primary to tertiary levels at N25million per child; build 20,000 units of two-bedroom houses across the country and do even more.

    “The cost of this grand theft, therefore, is that these roads, schools and houses will never be built and these children will never have access to quality education because a few rapacious individuals had cornered for themselves what would have helped secure the lives of the future generations, thereby depriving them of quality education and healthcare, among others.”

    He said the poor state of procurement process in Nigeria was one of the major reasons why corruption has continued to thrive in government agencies and parastatal.

    He identified some of the fraudulent practices in procurement process in Nigeria to include: kickbacks, conflict of interests, fraud in the bidding process, bid suppression, collusive bidding, bid rotation and market division.

    Others, according to him, are: co-mingling of contracts, change order abuse, cost mischarging, defective pricing, false statement and claim, phantom vendors, product substitution, unnecessary purchases and purchases for personal use or resale.

    Magu expressed confidence that Nigeria still has patriotic and credible individuals who would do all within their abilities to uphold the credibility and honesty required for leadership in public offices.

  • Alleged N13b fraud: EFCC declares ex-NIA boss, wife wanted

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb.  Ayodele Oke and his wife, Folasade, wanted in connection with alleged N13 billion fraud.

    The cash had to do with $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 recovered by the anti-graft agency from an apartment on Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April 2017.

    But a family source said Oke, who has been away for medical trip abroad, had not been served the charges against him.

    He said Oke is not on the run but attending to his fragile health.

    A statement by the Acting Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Tony Orilade, said the couple were declared wanted after they failed to answer fraud charges filed against them.

    The statement reads: “Justice Chukwujeku Aneke of a Federal High Court Lagos, had on February 7, 2019 issued an arrest warrant on them, consequent upon an oral application by counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo.

    “Oke and his wife are wanted in connection with the $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 cash recovered by the EFCC from an apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April 2017.

    “They are facing a four-count charge bordering on money laundering offence to the tune of N13 billion.”

    One of the counts reads: “That you, Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, with in the jurisdiction of this court directly converted $160,777,136.85 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said:  “Twice, we have been to court but he refused to appear to answer the charges against him. We trailed him to NIA quarters but we avoided barging into the premises.

    “But later, the trail signal disappeared which indicated that he had gone underground.

    “We explained our dilemma to the court and it gave us the go-ahead to look for him.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “What we have done now is to watch-list him. Wherever he is, whoever sees him at airport, seaport and land borders, should report to any security agency.

    “ At this stage, what we need to do is to serve him charges.”

    A family source, however, said: “As at today, Oke and his wife have not been served any charges. They only arraigned him after he has gone abroad for treatment. Before he left the country, there was no communication from the anti-graft agency.

    “How can the EFCC declare the ex-NIA boss wanted after he had appeared before them for questioning? Once he is through with his medical care, Oke and his wife will report to the EFCC accordingly.”

  • Alleged N13b fraud: EFCC declares ex-NIA boss, wife wanted

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) has declared a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayodele Oke and his wife, Folasade, wanted in connection with alleged N13billion fraud.

    The cash had to do with $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 recovered by the EFCC from an apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April 2017.

    But a family source said Oke, who has been away abroad got medical treatment, had not been served the charges against him.

    He said Oke is not on the run but attending to his fragile health.

    A statement by the Acting Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Tony Orilade said the couple were declared wanted after they failed to answer fraud charges filed against them.

    The statement said: “Justice Chukwujeku Aneke of a Federal High Court Lagos, had on February 7, 2019 issued an arrest warrant on them, consequent upon an oral application by counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo.

    “Oke and his wife are wanted in connection with the $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 cash recovered by the EFCC from an apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April 2017.

    “They are facing a four-count charge bordering on money laundering offence to the tune of N13 billion.

    “One of the counts reads: “That you, Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, with in the jurisdiction of this court directly converted $160,777,136.85 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “Twice, we have been to court but he refused to appear to answer the charges against him. We trailed him to NIA quarters but we avoided barging into the premises.

    “But later the trail signal disappeared which indicated that he had gone underground.

    “We explained our dilemma to the court and it gave us the go-ahead to look for him.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “What we have done now is to watch-list him. Wherever he is, whoever sees him airport, seaport and land borders should report to any security agency.

    ” At this stage, what we need to do is to serve him charges.”

    A family source however said: “As at today, Oke and his wife have not been served any charges. They only arraigned him after he has gone abroad for treatment. Before he left the country, there was no communication from the anti-graft agency.

    “How can the EFCC declare the ex-NIA boss wanted after he had appeared before them for questioning? Once he is through with his medical care, Oke and his wife will report to the EFCC accordingly.”

  • U.S. Report over anti-graft war false, says EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday faulted a report by the United States alleging that Nigeria has made little progress in fighting corruption.

    It said it has secured 943 convictions between 2015 and 2018.

    The commission also said it has recovered N676, 522, 889, 647.05; $254, 563, 877.27  £486, 736.82 Pound; €8, 136, 071. 80, 931, 500;  CFA 3, 729.50;  RMB/YUAN; 452, 175 DIRHAM; 90, 956SR; 117, 004 CAD$ (ONE Hundred and Seventeen Thousand and Four Canadian Dollar); 120, 141.50 YEN; 5, 000Francs and 2, 000 Ruppies.

    It said the historic trial of prominent major oil companies- Shell and ENI in Milan, Italy by the public prosecutor over Malabu Oil Block was made possible by the political will of President Muhammadu Buhari and dexterity of the EFCC.

    It said for the first time in the history of Nigeria, ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan forfeited $8, 400, 000 traced to her by the EFCC and believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.

    The EFCC said  judging by the way it has prosecuted its cases from the High Court to the Court of Appeal up to the Supreme Court, the commission is by far the major contributor to case law and jurisprudence in Nigeria.

    It  said no fewer than 10 countries on March 18, requested for Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) with the commission following the nation’s anti-graft war success.

    It said strong US agencies, especially the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Post and Telecommunications Department and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) have very strong collaboration with the EFCC

    The commission made the clarifications in a statement by its management against the backdrop  of a recent report by the US Department of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.

    The statement said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been drawn to a misleading report of the United States Department of Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour over Nigeria’s anti-graft war, published on March 17, 2019 entitled: “Nigeria: Massive, Pervasive Corruption At All Levels of Govt – US Report”.

    “The report, among other things, said that ‘there is a climate of impunity in the President Muhammadu Buhari government that allows officials to engage in corrupt practices with a sense of exemption from punishment’.

    “The Bureau, in its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018, said Nigeria had made little progress in efforts to limit corruption in its public service. This report is not only outdated and false but misleading.

    “The report is unfounded on the grounds of Nigeria’s remarkable achievements in the last four years as the war against corruption is on course.

    “The EFCC’s commitment to the fight against corruption in the last four years is not in doubt to any discerning and genuinely concerned observer. This commitment is benchmarked by the unprecedented record of convictions, non-conviction based forfeiture and stolen assets recovery.

    “We are surprised that the US report could ignore or downplay our convictions in such a brazen manner when it claimed that the EFCC secured only 13 convictions in 2016. That is false and far from the truth.”

    The EFCC laid the cards on the table on how it has secured 943 convictions between 2015 and 2018.

    It added: “For the avoidance of doubt, the EFCC has secured 943 convictions since 2015 till date. The agency recorded 103 convictions in 2015, secured 195 convictions in 2016, got 189 convictions in 2017.

    ‘ It is important to state that the EFCC secured 314 convictions in 2018 including two former state governors who were sentenced to 14 years imprisonment without option of fine.

    ‘It is instructive to note that the two former governors serving their jail terms in prison are members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). The Commission has so far recorded 142 convictions as at March 19 this year. These are verifiable facts.

    “We wish to state unequivocally that these convictions being celebrated included high profile persons among who were top ranking military personnel and other politically exposed persons.

    “It is instructive to state that no other agency in Africa has this record of convictions and recovery of stolen assets which were achieved in spite of great encumbrances faced by the Commission in the discharge of its assignment as it has come to be known that when you fight corruption, corruption fights back.”

    On the cash recovered from looters, the EFCC said it was more than N676.5billion and $254million, among others.

    The statement said: “ “Indeed, the EFCC has revolutionized the process of assets tracing and recovery. From the available records, the Commission recovered assets worth several billions of naira and different foreign currencies between 2015 and 2017.

    “Breakdown of the recoveries for the three year period (2015- 2017) show that N676, 522, 889, 647.05; $254, 563, 877.27; 486, 736.82 Pound; Euro 8, 136, 071.13; 80, 931, 500 CFA; 3, 729.50 RMB/YUAN; 452, 175 DIRHAM; 90, 956SR; 117, 004 CAD$ ; 120, 141.50 YEN; 5, 000Francs and 2, 000 Ruppies.

    “In 2018 alone, various sums amounting to billions in Naira and other foreign currencies were also forfeited to the Federal Government through the unrelenting efforts of the EFCC.

    “The sums are: N171, 131, 700, 541.17; $14, 490, 174.49; 873, 278. 09 Pounds ; 298, 055 Euros; 391, 838 Riyals and 10, 135 Dirham.”

    “ These recoveries are unprecedented as no other agency can boast of such record.”

    The EFCC insisted that it has followed the Rule of law in prosecuting its cases.

    It said: “Judging by the dexterity with which the Commission has prosecuted its cases from the High Court to Court of Appeal up to the Supreme Court, the Commission is by far the major contributor to case law and jurisprudence in Nigeria. The major Law Reports are replete with successfully concluded cases by the Commission. Again, these facts are verifiable!”

    The EFCC listed some landmark recoveries which it recorded through due compliance with the Rule of law.

    It said:  “As a quick reminder, the Supreme Court of Nigeria had on Friday, March 8, 2019 in a unanimous judgement, dismissed the appeal of a former First Lady and wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, against the interim forfeiture order of a Federal High Court, Lagos, for $8, 400, 000 (Eight Million Four Hundred Dollars) traced to her by the EFCC and believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.

    “Subsequently, on March 14, 2019, the Supreme Court dismissed another application by Mrs. Jonathan, seeking to upturn the interim forfeiture order by a Federal High Court, Lagos placed on the sum of N2.4 billion linked to her.

    “Also of interest is the fact that the former Chief of Defence Staff, the late Alex Badeh forfeited six choice properties and $1, 000,000 (One Million Dollars) to the Federal Government, few days ago on the order of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    “It could also be recalled that the EFCC on Friday, March 1, 2019, secured the final forfeiture of the sum N732.85 million being proceed of fraud perpetuated by 17 individuals in the Presidential Amnesty Programme Office. These are no rhetoric, but hard facts!

    “We further wish to state that in the area of convictions, Air Vice Marshall Tony Omenyi (retd), was jailed by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, February 28, 2019.  He was found guilty of the amended three-count charge brought against him by the EFCC and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine.

    “Justice Dimgba, also ordered Huzee Nigeria Limited, a concern owned by Omenyi being a corporate entity to forfeit N60, 000, 000 (Sixty Million Naira) to the Federal Government.

    “The prowess of the EFCC’s investigative power is worthy of note in the celebrated Malabu’s case. The historic trial of prominent major oil companies- Shell and ENI in Milan, Italy by the public prosecutor was made possible by the political will of President Muhammadu Buhari and dexterity of the EFCC.

    “The comprehensive investigation of the commission and evidence generated in prosecuting the corrupt deal formed part of documents used in prosecuting the criminal aspects of the notorious deal by the Milan prosecutor.

    “The EFCC recorded another first in Africa with its prosecutor appearing in the Milan trial as a witness, the first of such to happen in Italian prosecution.

    “Some individuals including an Italian, Gianlura Di Nardo and a Nigerian, Emeka Obi, were last year convicted in the matter while the Dutch prosecutor just recently notified Shell of his readiness to prosecute the oil giant over the controversial deal.”

    The EFCC described the US report as a disservice and  full of inaccuracies.

    “From the foregoing, it is clear that the report authored by the American agency has done a great disservice to the work of the EFCC in particular and the fight against corruption under the leadership of President Buhari, an administration that is globally acknowledged for the enormous political will it has brought to the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

    ”We are conscious of our past with previous government officials’ involvement in corrupt practices with impunity but that history is being re-written by this government and the commission.

    “The rest of Africa appreciate the administration’s work in terms of fighting corruption in Nigeria which was the impetus behind the designation of President Buhari as the Anti- Corruption Champion early last year by the African Union (AU). In that capacity, President Buhari is saddled with the responsibility of leading the rest of Africa out of the corruption quagmire.

    “At the level of the EFCC, the Acting Chairman of the commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, attained the leadership of the Heads of Anti- Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa (HACACA) in May 2018. This was based on his antecedents and acknowledged track records in the fight against corruption.

    “There can be no greater validation of the revolutionary impact of the fight against corruption in Nigeria in the last four years than these milestones achievements. But for those who cannot see any good in what Nigeria is doing, it is better to leave the country alone than distract it with bogus reports, “ it added.

     

     

     

  • EFCC faults US report, recovers N676.5b in three years

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday faulted a report by the United States alleging that Nigeria has made little progress in fighting corruption.

    It said it has secured 943 convictions between 2015 and 2018.

    The commission also said it has recovered N676, 522, 889, 647.05; $254, 563, 877.27 £486, 736.82 Pound; €8, 136, 071. 80, 931, 500; CFA 3, 729.50; RMB/YUAN; 452, 175 DIRHAM; 90, 956SR; 117, 004 CAD$ (ONE Hundred and Seventeen Thousand and Four Canadian Dollar); 120, 141.50 YEN; 5, 000Francs and 2, 000 Ruppies.

    It said the historic trial of prominent major oil companies- Shell and ENI in Milan, Italy by the public prosecutor over Malabu Oil Block was made possible by the political will of President Muhammadu Buhari and dexterity of the EFCC.

    It said for the first time in the history of Nigeria, ex-First lady Patience Jonathan forfeited $8, 400, 000 traced to her by the EFCC and believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.

    The EFCC said judging by the way it has prosecuted its cases from the High Court to Court of Appeal up to the Supreme Court, the commission is by far the major contributor to case law and jurisprudence in Nigeria.

    It said no fewer than 10 countries on Monday, March 18, 2019, requested for Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) with the commission following the nation’s anti-graft war success.

    It said strong US agencies, especially the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), US Securities and Exchange Commission, Post and Telecommunications Department and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) have very strong collaboration with the EFCC

    The commission made the clarifications in a statement by its management against the backdrop of a recent report by the US Department of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.

    The statement said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been drawn to a misleading report of the United States Department of Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour over Nigeria’s anti-graft war, published on March 17, 2019 entitled: “Nigeria: Massive, Pervasive Corruption At All Levels of Govt – US Report”.

    “The report, among other things, said that “there is a climate of impunity in the President Muhammadu Buhari government that allows officials to engage in corrupt practices with a sense of exemption from punishment”.

    “The Bureau, in its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018, said Nigeria had made little progress in efforts to limit corruption in its public service. This report is not only outdated and false but misleading.

    “The report is unfounded on the grounds of Nigeria’s remarkable achievements in the last four years as the war against corruption is on course.

    “The EFCC’s commitment to the fight against corruption in the last four years is not in doubt to any discerning and genuinely concerned observer.

    “This commitment is benchmarked by the unprecedented record of convictions, non-conviction based forfeiture and stolen assets recovery.

    “We are surprised that the US report could ignore or downplay our convictions in such a brazen manner when it claimed that the EFCC secured only 13 convictions in 2016. That is false and far from the truth.”

  • Patience Jonathan’s $5.7m, N2.4b forfeiture case adjourned

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday ordered parties file affidavits on what transpired at the appellate courts in a forfeiture case initiated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against ex-First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, on April 26, 2017, ordered the temporary forfeiture of $5.7million and N2, 421,953,522.78 allegedly belonging to Mrs. Jonathan.

    She made the order based on an ex-parte application by EFCC.

    The N2.4billion was found in an Ecobank Nigeria Ltd account numbered 2022000760 in the name of La Wari Furniture and Baths Ltd, the commission said.

    Following the temporary forfeiture, Mrs. Jonathan, through her lawyer Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), appealed.

    The Court of Appeal, last January 12, upheld the temporary forfeiture.

    Dissatisfied, Mrs. Jonathan appealed to the Supreme Court.

    The Supreme Court, on March 15, affirmed the Court of Appeal judgment, directing the appellant to return to before Justice Olatoregun to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

    The Supreme Court also rejected her prayer to strike down the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, which EFCC relied on in filing the application.

    On Thursday, Adedipe informed Justice Olatoregun about developments at the Supreme Court.

    The judge then directed parties to file the affidavits.

    EFCC said it found the $5.7million in an account numbered 2110001712 with Skye Bank Plc in Mrs. Jonathan’s name.

    In an affidavit in support of the ex-parte originating summons, an EFCC operative, Musbahu Yahaha Abubakar, said Mrs. Jonathan opened the Skye Bank account on February 7, 2013.

    “Upon the opening of the account, several huge cash deposits in dollars were made to the account.

    “One Dudafa Waripamo Owei who was the Senior Special Assistant to the former President was one of the frequent depositors in the account.

    “Another frequent cash depositor of funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities into the account is one Festus Iyoha, a steward at the State House, Abuja,” the deponent said.

    The EFCC investigator said Iyoha also made deposits with fictitious names.

    Abubakar said between February 8, 2013 and January 30, 2015, the sum of $6,791,599.64 suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities was deposited into the account in cash.

    He said Mrs Jonathan had dissipated part of the funds, leaving a balance of $5,731,173.55.

    “If this fund is not forfeited in the interim, the operator of the account, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, will fully dissipate it,” the investigator said.

    On the N2.4billion, the operative said the commission also traced the money to the Ecobank account following suspicions that it was proceeds of crime.

    He said the “purported” signatory to the account was one Ada Ifegbu, with a telephone number belonging to one Esther Oba.

    The EFCC operative said the N2.4billion “were substantially the naira equivalent of the United States Dollars given to one Chima Nwafor John of Ecobank Nigeria Ltd by one Esther Oba at the Aso Rock Villa.”

    He said it was John who contracted bureau de change operators to convert the money to naira and deposit it to La Wari Furniture and Baths Ltd’s account.

    Justice Olatoregun adjourned until May 8.

  • Fayose: I prepared Deeds of Assignment for properties in V.I, Lawyer testifies

    A Seventh Prosecution Witness, Mr Kennedy Osunwa, on Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that he was engaged to prepare a Deed of Assignment with respect to a property lying at 100, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The witness, who is a legal practitioner, gave the evidence at the resumed trial of immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who is standing trial on allegations bordering on fraud.

    Fayose was arraigned on an 11-count charge by The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Oct. 22, 2018 alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd.

    He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court had granted him bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

    EFCC had opened the case for the prosecution on Nov. 19, 2018 and called four witnesses.

    On Jan. 21, 2018, the prosecution called its fifth witness, Sen. Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence.

    At the last adjourned date on Tuesday (yesterday) both the fifth Prosecution Witness, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, and the sixth witness, Mr Omotayo Falae, had both concluded their evidences before the court.

    On Wednesday, Osunwa appeared in court as seventh witness for the EFCC.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), led him in evidence and asked him to tell the court what he knows about the case.

    Osunwa narrated :” Sometime in 2014/2015, a company that I had retainership with as a tenant solicitor, (Still Earth Ltd), called me and said they had acquired some properties lying at 100, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island

    “And that they have concluded arrangement to sell some because they have a buyer and the particulars of the buyer were given to me to prepare a Deed of Assignment.

    “I was told that one Abiodun Agbele with a company, J. J Technical, are buying the property,”

    The witness said that the necessary particulars, as well as the consideration for the property which he was to insert in the agreement, were supplied to him and he prepared the Deed.

    He said that at completion, he informed the officers of the company that the Deed was ready for execution and they instructed him to bring the agreement to the company as the said Agbele would be coming to take same.

    The witness told the court that the agreement was sent as requested and after some days he was called by the officers of the company that same had been executed and he was shown a copy of the Deed that was acknowledged by Agbele’s lawyer, one Mr Kolade.

    He said that in 2016, he was invited by the EFCC to come with all the officers of his company as well as with all the Deeds of Assignment he prepared with respect to the property at Victoria Island.

    The witness said that after he received the invite, he immediately travelled to Abuja with all the requirements, adding that he submitted all document to the Commission.

    Laying a foundation for tendering of the document, the prosecutor asked the witness “If you see the document will you recognise it” and the witness replied “Yes”

  • Obanikoro ends evidence against Fayose

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday discharged former Minister of State for Defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as a witness in the trial of former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose.

    Obanikoro testified as the fifth witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Under cross examination by counsel for Spotless Limited, Fayose’s co-accused, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Obanikoro said there was no documentary evidence to back up all he said in court.

    Ojo asked him: “Did you produce any evidence to back any of your assertions before this court?”

    Obanikoro answered: “No.”

    Ojo asked the former minister about his late personal assistant Justin Erukaa, whose statement made during investigation was earlier admitted in evidence.

    The witness said: “Erukaa left Lagos a day before Salah about two years ago.

    “The Police called one of my special assistants saying the owner of the phone died on the spot in a motor accident. My PA immediately called me.”

    After Ojo said he had no further questions for Obanikoro, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) called the sixth prosecuting witness (PW6), Mr. Olugboyega Omotayo Falae, a banker.

    The EFCC had alleged Fayose acquired a property on 44, Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji, with N200million.

    Falae, who works with Ecobank Nigeria, said he was a staff of Skye Bank (now Polaris Bank) when the transaction occurred.

    He said as head of the estate support department, he knew about how the property came to be sold.

    According to him, the bank occasionally disposes of some properties “that are in excess of its requirements.”

    He said the Osun Crescent property was one of those the bank decided to dispose of.

    Falae said once the bank’s management gave approval, a list of properties was given to agents who would source for buyers.

    He said the bank got offers, including one from one Mrs. Titiloye Orebiyi.

    “Eventually we agreed on N200million for the property. The documents of the transaction were submitted to the EFCC.

    “On April 20, 2015, we wrote an internal memo and a letter of acceptance to the Managing Director of Signature Integrated Ltd (Mrs Orebiyi) accepting their N200million offer and indicating which bank account to pay to,” he said.

    The court admitted some of the transaction documents in evidence.

    Fayose is on trial for allegedly receiving and keeping N1.2billion and $5million allegedly stolen from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) contrary to the Money Laundering Act.

    He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on an 11-count charge last October 22.

    EFCC said Fayose and Biodun Agbele, who is facing a different charge, allegedly took possession of N1, 219,000, 000 on June 17, 2014 to fund the former governor’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

    The commission said Fayose “reasonably ought to have known” that the money “formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing.”

    EFCC said Fayose, on the same day, received cash payment of $5million from Obanikoro, without going through a financial institution, the sum having exceeded the amount authorised by law.

    Fayose pleaded not guilty.

    Trial continues tomorrow.