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Tag: Money laundering

  • Presidential panel member re-arraigned for alleged $1m money laundering

    Presidential panel member re-arraigned for alleged $1m money laundering

    A member of committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces, Air Commodore Umar Mohammed, has been  re-arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    Umar, 54, was arraigned on Friday with his company, Easy Jet Integrated Services Limited, before Justice John Tsoho, on a four-count amended charge. They were charged with money laundering, illegal possession of firearms and violation of the Official Secret Act.

    They were earlier arraigned in July before another judge of the same court, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, who granted Umar bail at N100m, with two sureties at N50m each. The sureties could be a private citizen or public officer, with landed property in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Umar’s rearraignment on Friday was informed by the transfer of the case to another judge and the amendment of the earlier charge by the prosecution.

    Umar and his company are accused of conspiracy and accepting $1,030,000 in cash from a frim, Worldwide Consortium PTY Ltd, “as payment for flight services without going through a financial institution as required by law.

    They have, by so doing, committed money laundering, contrary to sections 18 (a) and 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering Act 2011 and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the Act.

    Umar was accused of being in illegal possession of two pump action guns (marked: SBSG Magnum 397 and SBGS Interpress 09-1573) between June 1, 2011 and June 19, 2016 without valid licenses and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4 of the Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27(1)(b)(i) of the act.

    He was also accused of having at his No: 4 Lungi Close, Mississippi, Maitama, Abuja home “classified/official documents without lawful authority and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(b) of the Official Secret Act and punishable under Section 7(1)(a) of the same Act.”

    Umar pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him. His lawyer, Hassan Liman (SAN), who led Ibrahim Bawa (SAN), urged the court to grant Umar bail on the terms and conditions attached to the bail earlier granted him by Justice Dimgba.

    Liman told the court that his client had been held incommunicado by men of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 19 when he was arrested. He accused the DSS of refusing to obey Justice Dimgba, directing that Umar be remanded in prison pending when he was able to meet the bail conditions.

    Although prosecution lawyer Magaji Labaran opposed Liman’s application, Justice Tsoho, in a ruling, upheld the defence lawyer’s argument and granted Umar bail on the terms and conditions earlier set by Justice Dimgba.

    Justice Tsoho ordered that Umar, who was dressed in a white agbada and a cap, be remanded in Kuje prison in Abuja pending the perfection of his the bail. He adjourned until November 7 for trial.

  • ECOWAS Court to assist in combat against money laundering, terrorism financing 

    ECOWAS Court to assist in combat against money laundering, terrorism financing 

    …expresses concern over lack of access to court

    The ECOWAS Court has promised to assist Nigeria in the fight against money laundering and financing of terrorism within West African-region.

    The community’s court president, Justice Jerome Traore said the two scourge must be fought at all cost.

    He spoke at the opening ceremony of the 2016-2017 Legal year in Abuja with the theme “The  role of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in the fight against money laundering and financing of terrorism within the West African Sub-region.”

    Justice Traore said the court intended to offer assistance to ECOWAS and it’s members in the efforts being made towards the prevention and containment of these crimes.

    The court, he assured will work within it’s legal power to ensure the enforcement of the rules.

    He said, “This double-headed scourge must therefore be combated at all cost, and the Community Court of Justice, in it’s capacity as the principal legal organ of ECOWAS, cannot remain on the sidelines of this battle which is being fought almost all over the world, and notably within our ECOWAS space, for almost two decades.

    “The Court thus means to offer in resolute terms the needed assistance to ECOWAS and it’s member states in the efforts being made towards the prevention and containment of these crimes.

    “The Court will of course do so within the confines of the powers currently conferred upon it, by particularly ensuring, without sacrificing their potency, that the rules and procedure in force, are in all respects, in consonance with the observance of human rights and guarantee of the rule of law.”

    While also expressing the concern of the court to the lack of access to the court, Justice Troare said ECOWAS court is thinking with the idea of providing legal aid fund to empower destitute litigants.

    According to him, “The ECOWAS Court of justice remains concerned, in equal measure, by the issue of the need of ensuring ease of access to the Court. We are indeed conscious that, progress in the area of human rights defense-an area which virtually occupies the centre stage of the activities of our court today-is obtainable, in practical terms, by the extent of accessibility of litigants of the Court.

    “That is why, for the purposes of facilitating access to justice, it shall be necessary to provide the court with legal aid fund, so as to empower destitute litigants, whenever they deem themselves victims of arbitrariness, to cone before the Court, to claim their rights. It would be regrettable, to say the least, if for financial reasons, a community citizen should remain helpless while his rights are being abused.”

    He further promised that the “new Bureau of the Court intends to pursue and extend further the steps already taken, and it will do everything possible to ensure that the Community Court of Justice remains, as it has been in past, a guarantor of human rights and a safeguard against arbitrariness in the sub-region.”

    To thIS end, he added that “further steps will be taken towards improving upon the output of the Court.”

    “Also, in the course of this year, we will need to put in greater efforts to bring the court closer to those whose right it is to seek justice before our court, for a great number of those who desire to bring their case before the court do not always have the financial means required for doing so.

    “Some efforts have already been made in that direction, through the organisation of external court sessions in the member states of ECOWAS, but we can do more for the qualified potential litigants of our community who remain destitute.”

    The guest speaker, Col. Adama Coulibaly, Director General, Inter-Governmental Action Group against money laundering in West Africa (GIABA) explained that while there are differences between money laundering and financing of terrorism, the techniques used to launder money and finance terrorist activities/terrorism are very similar and in many instances identical.

    Coulibaly added that, “the effects of money laundering and financing of of terrorism are both difficult to quantify.”

    He therefore stressed that GIABA’s mandate is focused in ensuring the implementation of acceptable international anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism measures.
    GIABA Boss, also expressed concern about the none adoption of the ECOWAS protocol for the prevention of corruption fifteen years after.

    He noted that the region could not enforced the protocol as it was yet to be ratified. So far only eight member states have ratified the protocol when it needs nine states to do so before it cam be enforced.

    GIABA is mandated by it’s statutes to combat the laundering of proceeds from crime and finance of terrorism.

  • Court remands ex-Adamawa Gov, Fintiri in Kuje prison

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that former Governor of Adamawa State, Adamu Umaru Fintiri be remanded in Kuje prison, Abuja.

    His remand order was made by Justice Ahmed Mohammed shortly after Fintiri was arraigned on a five-count charge of money laundering.

    Fintiri is accused, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CB/CB/131/2016, of engaging in money laundering activities involving a cumulative sum of over N1billion.

    Although Fintiri pleade not guilty to the charge, he is to remain in prison custody until Friday when the court will rule of his bail application.

  • Alleged money laundering: Jonathan’s ex-aide gets N500m bail

    Alleged money laundering: Jonathan’s ex-aide gets N500m bail

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday granted N500million bail to former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him and Iwejuo Joseph Nna (alias Taiwo A. Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah) before Justice Mohammed Idris on a 23-count of conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds.

    They were accused of conspiring to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to over N1.6billion on June 11, 2013 and pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

    Ruling on their bail application, Justice Idris granted Dudafa bail for N500million with three sureties in like sum.

    The sureties must produce evidence of three years tax clearance and landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

    Nna was granted bail for N250million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must also own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction and must show evidence of tax payment for three years.

    The defendants are to deposit their international passports with the court, Justice Idris ruled.

    EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo applied for a short date for trial, but the defence counsel said they needed more time to prepare adequately.

    The defendants allegedly concealed the N1.6billion through a company, Seagate Property Development and Investment Ltd, an  offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 17(a).

    They were also accused of knowingly concealing proceeds of crime through Avalon Global Property Development Company Ltd in the sum of N 399, 470,000.00, among others.

    Dudafa, between last June 1 and June 4, “procured” Nna and Ebiwise Resources to conceal N150million, being proceeds of crime, it was alleged.

    Other companies allegedly used in laundering the money include Pluto Property And Investment Company Ltd, Rotato Inter Link Services Ltd and De Jakes Fast Food and Restaurant Nigerian Ltd.

    EFCC said Dudafa, on April 27, failed to furnish any information in relation to N616,526,506.70 allegedly held on his behalf by Seagate Property’s account: 7400046952 domiciled in Heritage Bank Ltd as required on page 20 of the Declaration of Assets Form.

    The offence, said the commission, is contrary to and punishable under Section 27 (3) (c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.

    Justice Idris adjourned till July 4 and 5 for trial.

     

  • Fed Govt urges Ohakim to defend self against money laundering charges

    Fed Govt urges Ohakim to defend self against money laundering charges

    •Ex-Imo governor makes no-case submission

    The Federal Government has urged former Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim to defend himself against charges— of money laundering pending against him before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Ohakim on behalf of the Federal Government on a three-count charge of money laundering and false asset declaration.

    He is accused of purchasing a property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Plot No 1098, Cadastral ZoneA04, Asokoro District, Abuja with cash payment of $2.29 which was said to be dollar equivalent of N270m in November 2008.

    Ohakim was also accused of failing to declare the property as part of his assets when asked by the EFCC to do so.

    Yesterday, prosecution lawyer, Festus Keyamo urged the court to reject the no-case submission made by lawyer to Ohakim, Awa Kalu (SAN).

    Keyamo said the prosecution has led sufficient evidence to establish its case against the defendant, requiring the court to invite him to enter defence.

    Keyamo, who adopted his written submission in opposition to Ohakim’s no-case submission, noted the defendant had, in his statement to the EFCC admitted making payment for the property in dollars, but later said the payment was made in naira cash.

    On Kalu’s argument that the prosecution has failed to make a case against his client, Keyamo said, by establishing that Ohakim attempted to conceal property and the source of money used in buying it, the prosecution has proven concealment which is an element of money laundry.

    He argued that Ohakim cannot claim to have withdrawn his confessional statement, when he freely made the statement admitting making payment for the property.

    Keyamo added that it was too late for Ohakim to claim to have withdrawn his confessional statement when h did not object at the point of tendering.

    “If he was not in a state of mind to make those statements, in which he implicated himself, he should have said so. It is trite law that it is not at the state of submission that one can object to a statement, it is at the point of tendering.

    On Ohakim’s claim that he could not remember how payment was made for the house, Keyamo said it was strange that an adult could claim to have forgotten how such a transaction was carrie out.

    He urged the court to take judicial notice of the fact that no man will forget how he acquired his house.

    “It is either the court finds that he did not own the house or he owned and acquired it, but failed to declare it. It will help to shed light on the hidden issues if the defendant is called upon to enter his defence,” Keyamo said.

    Earlier while adopting his client’s submission, Kalu urged the court to excuse his client from defending the charge on the ground that the prosecution has failed to link him to the charges.

    “There are three counts in the charge for which the defendant is standing trial. A single thread holds all the counts. It is the application of a sum in excess of $2.290m paid in cash for the property at 60 Kwame Nkrumah Street, Asokoro.

    “That is to say, if the court believes that the defendant paid that sum in cash, the defendant will have to enter defence to explain his side of the story.

    “The story is broken by the fact that no source was put on record as to how this money came to the custody of the defendant. If there is no source, there is no laundering.

    “If the prosecution has not told the court the source of the $2.290… and how the money got into the hand of PW2 and PW3, because there were no receipts. What then is the case that the defendant is facing?

    “To require the defendant to defend at this stage, is unwittingly asking him to wave his privilege against self-incrimination which is woven around the presumption of innocence,” Kalu said.

    He faulted the prosecution’s claim that they client made confessional statement, arguing that his client had since withdrawn the statement having found that he made it when he was troubled.

    “It is our case that the said confessional statement has been withdrawn.  When you have two statements, one confession and the other denial, the court will have to look at other circumstances which will make one statement prevail over the other,” he said.

    Kalu said his client made the purported confessional statement when his house in Owerri was burnt, his records destroyed and that, when he was brought to the EFCC, his mind was agitated, making it impossible for him to think clearly.

    “My lord ought to be very cautious in deciding that a case has been made which require an explanation from the defendant.

    “It would be invidious to ask the defendant to enter the witness box to explain a transaction that has no witnesses. That is because each of the six prosecution witness is on his own,” Kalu said.

    He urged the court to discharge and acquit his client.

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola adjourned to June 30 for ruling.

     

  • Money laundering: Ex- Kogi lawmaker jailed two years

    Money laundering: Ex- Kogi lawmaker jailed two years

    A former lawmaker in the Kogi State House of Assembly, from Ogori/Magongo Mr. Gabriel Daudu was Monday sentenced to two years in prison by a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja for money laundering.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, found him guilty on 77 out of the 208 counts pressed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The charges brought against him by the EFCC bordered on conspiracy, advanced fee fraud and money laundering involving about N1.4 billion.

    But while Daudu was convicted on 77 counts and sentenced to two years on each count to run concurrently, Justice Ekwo, however, discharged and acquitted Albert Soje Adesina, a retired Army major, who served as majority leader of the Kogi State house of assembly between 2007 and 2011 on the one-count charged brought against him.

    Daudu’a trial started before Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court Abuja before it was later transferred to the Lokoja division of the Federal High Court before Justice Ekwo, where Daudu and Adesina were re-arraigned twice on amended charges.

    The prosecution counsel, Mr. Wahab Shittu, presented 13 witnesses and tendered 47 exhibits to prove the charges against Daudu.

    Though Daudu, through his lawyer, Mr. O.J. Onoja (SAN), called seven witnesses in a bid to prove his innocence, the court however found him guilty as Justice Ekwo held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

    Daudu, who served as the caretaker chairman of the Ogori/Mangogo Local Government Area of Kogi State between January and July 2008, had been standing trial since April, 2010 alongside a former Commissioner for Agriculture in Kogi State, Albert Adesina.

     

  • Money laundering: Court orders South African lady to forfeit N116.050m to FG

    Money laundering: Court orders South African lady to forfeit N116.050m to FG

    A Federal High Court, Lagos yesterday ordered a South African lady, Ngqula Nosisi Pam, to forfeit N116.050m ($374,355.00) to the Federal Government.

    The court also convicted Ngqula Nosisi Pam, a South African, for money laundering and bulk cash smuggling.

    The Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that Justice C.M.A Olatoregun gave the verdict.

    Uwujaren said: “The convict was arraigned by the EFCC on February 1, 2016 after her arrest at the  Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

    “The convict had earlier pleaded ‘not guilty,’ but changed her plea to ‘guilty’ and was consequently convicted by the court.

    “Justice Olatoregun ordered that the convict forfeit the entire sum of $374,355.00 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “The judge also ordered the EFCC to remit the money to the Federal Government Account within 29 days and filed notice of remittance at the court.

    “The Judge admonished the convict to shun illegality in the future.”

    The one count charge reads: “That you Ngqula Nosisi Pam on or about the 24th of March, 2015 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court had in possession cash in the sum of Three Hundred and Seventy Four Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Five United States of America Dollars ($374,355.00) which you transported from the Republic of South Africa to Lagos; and failed to declare the sum of Three Hundred and Fifty Five United States of America Dollars ($374,355.00) to the officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service as required under the provisions of section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012 and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012”.

  • Money Laundering Bill and its discontents

    Late last month, President Muhammadu Buhari sent two executive bills to the National Assembly that border on the government’s commitment to strengthen the fight against corruption. The two bills are the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Bill (2016) and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill (2016).

    Coming this early in the life of the administration, and in the heat of the government’s momentous anti-corruption campaign, the submission of the two bills was not an ordinary government business. It was symbolic; it signposted, to some extent, the future of the war against corruption and the much needed political will to deal with this cancer which hitherto had been lacking.

    For many years, the bane of the war against corruption was the lack of commitment and political will at the highest political level to fight the menace. It is no wonder therefore that many enabling laws enacted to solidify the war against corruption, money laundering and other financial crimes, or to increase transparency in the system, remained almost comatose.

    Ideally, the two new anti-corruption bills should not only excite interest but accepted with garlands and fanfare as another commitment by the executive and also another weapon in the arsenal to take down one of Nigeria’s greatest maladies. Unfortunately, the new money laundering bill leaves a lot to be desired.

    The new bill seeks to repeal an existing Money Laundering Act, “make comprehensive provisions to prohibit the laundering of criminal activities and expand the scope of money laundering offences”, according to the letter from President Buhari read by Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

    Daily Trust of February 3, reported that with the bill now before the Senate, President Buhari “has set machinery for the establishment of Bureau for Money Laundering Control (BMLC) to tackle money laundering related cases in the country”.

    First, there is a Money Laundering Act (first enacted in 1995 and amended in 2011) of which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is the co-coordinating enforcement agency. The current Money Laundering Act is also not known to have any fundamental flaws. Why then do we need a NEW Act and a NEW Agency? It is quite disturbing that the new bill seeks to establish a NEW anti-corruption agency to implement its provisions, if passed into law.

    One wonders why a law that has been implemented for several years will now warrant formation of an independent agency to enforce it, more so when there are anti-corruption agencies empowered by the law to bring the Money Laundering Act into force.

    Both the ICPC and EFCC laws have extensively covered financial crimes bordering on money laundering. In specific terms, the EFCC Establishment Act listed the Money Laundering Act as one of the laws that the EFCC can enforce, under its powers. In fact, so central is this Act to the activities of the EFCC that it is the first to be listed in Section 7 (2) (a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004, before others such as the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Act, as amended, and the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 1991, as amended, among others.

    According to the newspaper report, “The Bureau, when established, would ensure that all designated businesses and professions comply with the provisions of the Money Laundering Act and exercise supervision.” This task is something that was and is still being done by government agencies such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the EFCC. There is therefore nothing new that the BMLC will do in this regard.

    Perhaps the framers of this new bill do not know, or have chosen to ignore, the existence of the inter-agency Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) which has the statutory mandate of registering all designated non-financial business. The SCUML “works in collaboration with the EFCC (the coordinating agency for Nigeria’s AML/CFT regime) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) – the national repository of financial disclosures of cash-based transaction reports, currency transaction reports and suspicious transaction reports.” It can’t get any better! Since its establishment in 2005, SCUML has taken the campaign and indeed enforced the registration of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), hotels and real estate business, car dealership, and other real sectors of the economy.  Clearly, a provision in the proposed money laundering bill has given some clue as to those pushing this agenda and the purpose. Daily Trust also reported that, “The Bureau would be run through an advisory board to be headed by a chairman who will be appointed by the president on the advice of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.” One can sense a level of self-aggrandizement to the detriment of the public good.

    This new bill, obviously needless as it is, highlights the long standing rivalry that exists between the EFCC and the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. And this rivalry is most probably being fueled by top civil servants who endlessly keep looking for more power and perquisites outside their legal means.

    Similar machinations took place during the tenure of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua when the then Attorney General, Michael Aondoakaa, went all out to pocket the EFCC. In the last dispensation, spurred by vested interest, the 7th National Assembly, predictably acting the same script, worked so hard to make the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) into a stand-alone agency. There is no difference between that distractive move and the current one on money laundering.

    This move appears to be a clear affront to the work of the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies; perhaps, an attempt to weaken existing anti-corruption agencies to satisfy certain powerful personal interests.

    The last thing the Buhari administration needs now that the anti-corruption war is gaining some traction is to get bogged down by this rivalry. This is one distraction it can ill-afford. What benefit is it for the country to keep creating agencies at a time of acute financial stress, particularly for a government mouthing cuts in cost of governance?

    All the relevant laws to fight corruption and economic malfeasance are there. The government only needs to empower the agencies mandated to enforce these laws and where necessary amend such laws if there are any deficiencies.

  • Dariye wanted in UK for money laundering, by EFCC

    Dariye wanted in UK for money laundering, by EFCC

    •EFCC Chair Magu to testify in ex-Plateau governor’s trial

    About nine years after he allegedly jumped bail in the United Kingdom (UK), ex-Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye is still wanted in UK in relation to money laundering charges for which he was arrested and detained in 2004 by the London Metropolitan Police.

    A detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Musa Sunday, told Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Gudu yesterday that the case is still pending before the London Metropolitan Police.

    Sunday spoke while testifying in the trial of Dariye (a serving senator), representing Plateau Central.

    Dariye governed the state between 1999 and 2007. He is facing a 23-count charge.

    The witness, while cross-examined by Dariye’s lawyer, Garba Pwul (SAN), confirmed that the decision by the EFCC to investigate Dariye for alleged money laundering was informed by information provided by the London Metropolitan Police.

    “The defendant (Dariye) was granted bail by the UK police. And he jumped bail. The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in London, Peter Clerk was in Nigeria in the course of our investigation,” Sunday said.

    The prosecution has indicated that EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu may testify. He is listed as one of the 33 witnesses by the prosecution. Magu led the five-man team of EFCC detectives that investigated the case.

    In his evidence-in-chief, Sunday gave details of how Dariye allegedly moved funds from the account of the state’s Accountant General in Lion Bank (now defunct) to an account in All States Trust Bank (now defunct), allegedly owned by a firm, Ebenezer Ritnan Venture Limited, linked to Dariye.

    He said when the Accountant General, Sham Damisa, a Deputy Director, Treasury, Nuhu Ali Madaki and Deputy Director, Inspectorate, Silas Bum-But could not justify the payment of N204 million to Dariye’s firm, they were charged to court. The case is also before Justice Banjoko.

    Sunday, who identified some bank drafts allegedly used in moving funds from the Accountant General’s account with Lion Bank, said the money was paid into an account in All States Trust Bank, belonging to Dariye’s firm, Ebenezer Ritnan Ventures.

    “These drafts were traced to All States Trust Bank and were raised in the name of All States Trust Bank, but paid into Ebenezer Ritnan’s account. In the course of investigation, we found that there was no contract between the state and Ebenezer Ritnan Venture

    “From investigation, we found that the defendant was the account holder. We discovered some property, which the defendant used part of the money to purchase.

    ‘’We applied for interim forfeiture order to confiscate the property.

    “The Metropolitan Police found that money moved from Ebenezer Ritnan to a bank in London. Some of the information we gathered were sent to Metropolitan Police. The lead investigator in London was Peter Clerk. The London authorities later treated the case in the UK.

    “From our investigation in Nigeria and documents tendered, showed that the defendant was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in London, granted bail, jumped bail and escaped to Nigeria.

    “We also saw a Diamond Bank draft of N204  million drawn from the Plateau State Accountant General account, but paid into Ebenezer Ritnan’s account. The instruction for the payment was given by the Accountant General, Sham Damisa, Nuhu Ali Madaki, deputy director, Treasury and Silas Bum-But, deputy director, Inspectorate.

    “In the course of investigation, we invited these people to prove to the commission what job was executed by Ebenezer Retnan to have warranted the payment. But they could not show that any job was done for the state and for which the state paid the money.

    “For failing to provide reasons for this payment, they were charged to court. They are on trial before this court.

    “In the course of the investigation, the defendant was invited to make a statement, which he did at the Asokoro Office of the EFCC,” Sunday said.

    Justice Banjoko admitted Dariye’s three statements, made in 2007 in evidence as exhibits P13(a), (b) & (c).

    The trial resumes on February 2.

     

  • FG charges Dokpesi with money laundering

    FG charges Dokpesi with money laundering

    The Federal Government Tuesday filed charges against businessman and media proprietor, Raymond Dokpesi before the Federal high Court, Abuja in relation to his alleged receipt of about N2.1billion in the from the last administration from funds meant for the purchase of arms.

    The Nation learnt that filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has six counts. It is marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/380/2015.

    Dokpesi is charged along with his company – Daar Holding and Investment Limited.

    They are accused of violating the Money Laundering Act, the EFCC Act and the Public Procurement Act. The charge is yet to be assigned to any judge for hearing.

    Dokpesi is the second person to be charged among some highly placed Nigerians accused of involvement in the mismanagement funds meant for the purchase of military wares under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    Already, a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Mohammed Dasuki is being tried before the Federal High Court, Abuja for illegal possession of firearms and money laundering.

    Dokpsi, who is currently on bail from the EFCC, was last Friday ordered to be produced by Justice Gabriel Kolawole (also of the Federal High Court, Abuja)

    The order followed an ex-parte application by Dokpesi, who claimed to have been unlawfully detained beyond 48 hours by the EFCC.

    The judge, who heard Dokpesi’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) in chambers, ordered the EFCC to produce Dokpesi before his court on the next hearing date ofDecember 14.

    Ozekhome, who told journalists what happened in the judge’s chambers, said the judge also ordered the EFCC to show cause why he should not grant Dokpesi’s prayer for unconditional or conditional bail.

    Dokpesi had, in the application, prayed for an order compelling the respondent to produce the applicant who is presently in its custody or any other place of detention before this court on the date this application comes up for hearing.

    He also sought an order admitting the applicant to bail on self recognisance or on such favourable and liberal terms as this court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case, pending the formal arraignment of the applicant before a court of law.

    He hinged his prayers on the ground that no formal charge has been brought against him, over 48 hours after his detention.

    The applicant said he went to honour a verbal invitation from officials of the EFCC on December 1 and had been detained since then after subjecting him to hours of “unprepared interrogation.”

    He argued that the offences alleged against him “are ordinarily bailable.”

    He promised not to jump bail, not to interfere with witnesses or the course of justice if any formal charge was filed against him.

    Dokpesi said, with his social status, the court could grant him bail on liberal terms. Or on self recognisance as he has no criminal antecedents or record.

    He promised to attend court if eventually he is formally arraigned.

    In a supporting affidavit, the applicant said he was arrested over his inability to honour an invitation by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) inviting Daar Investment and Holding Limited (an arm of Daar Communications Ltd) “for discussion on the supply and services rendered to the Office of the NSA.”

    He stated that while he was yet to perfect the bail granted him by the EFCC “on the most onerous,” it went before a Magistrate’s Court to procure an order to legitimise and further detain him.