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Tag: Waripamo Dudafa

  • ‘Jonathan, wife instructed me to convert dollars to naira’

    ‘Jonathan, wife instructed me to convert dollars to naira’

    Former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, yesterday told the Federal High Court in Lagos that all the foreign currencies he gave to a Bureau De Change operator to convert to naira were given to him by his bosses.

    Testifying during a hearing on a suit filed by Mrs Jonathan, Dudafa said he merely carried out instructions.

    The former First Lady sued the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for placing a no-debit order on her Skye Bank Plc accounts with $15.5million. She is praying the court to unfreeze them.

    Justice Mohammed Idris had directed parties to give oral evidence on the money’s ownership.

    Dudafa, while being cross-examined by EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo after adopting his witness statement on oath, said he only “relayed” the instructions he was given.

    Oyedepo asked him: “Do you know Festus Iyoha and Peter Arivim?” Dudafa said: “Iyoha was a steward attached to the President and Commander-in-Chief. I also know Peter Arivim. He was also a steward attached to President Jonathan.”

    Oyedepo said: “You gave them hard currencies to take to a Bureau De Change operator, Abubakar Murtala.”

    Dudafa responded: “It was not limited to Iyoha and Peter. I don’t have power to instruct anyone. I could only relay the instruction of the President or his wife to any available aide, including Festus and Peter.”

    Oyedepo insisted that it was Dudafa who instructed the aides to convert the money. The witness said: “I relayed different instructions from the President or his wife.”

    Oyedepo said: “I put it to you that you gave dollars to Mr Murtala,” to which Dudafa responded: “So many times the President and his wife gave me instructions to hand over the dollars.”

    When Oyedepo suggested to Dudafa that he was the one who personally handed the dollars to the aides, the witness agreed.

    “The physical handing over was done by me although I received instructions from the President or his wife,” he said.

    Oyedepo said: “I put it to you that $1million and other amounts were given to you,” to which Dudafa responded: “I don’t know if it was $1million”.

    Asked if he was in constant contact with the BDC operator, the witness answered in the affirmative.

    Justice Idris adjourned until March 26.

  • Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: I was validly appointed to represent firms – Ozekhome

    Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: I was validly appointed to represent firms – Ozekhome

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN ) Chief Mike Ozekhome yesterday told the Federal High Court in Lagos that he was validly appointed to represent four companies that pleaded guilty to laundering $15.5million allegedly belonging to former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    Another lawyer, Luke Aghanenu, had claimed that he was briefed by the companies to represent them.

    Ozekhome is praying the court to nullify the guilty plea entered by the companies on the basis that they were not given fair hearing.

    The companies through their representatives pleaded guilty on September 15, 2016, and were convicted for laundering the money when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi. 

    The companies are: Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) arraigned them with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to President Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, a lawyer Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku.

    Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.

    Aghanenu filed a motion for change of counsel, praying the court to hold that he was validly appointed by the companies’ directors to represent them, not Ozekhome.

    But, Ozekhome, in his counter-affidavit, said he was properly briefed by the companies through their secretary, Briggs, to handle their case.

    In an affidavit in support of Ozekhome’s motion, a lawyer in his firm, Chimaobi Onuigbo, said the companies representatives who pleaded guilty to money laundering (Friday Davis, Agbo Baro, Dioghowori Fredrick and Taiwo Ebenezer) had earlier denied having anything to do with the companies or being directors.

    He said the representatives also refused to accept service of processes in a suit by Mrs Jonathan against EFCC and others pending before Justice Mohammed Idris.

    The deponent noted that Justice Idris had directed parties to serve Briggs with the process since he was on record as the Companies’ Secretary.

    Ozekhome said when Briggs was served with the processes, he instructed him to defend the companies.

    “Briggs then deposed to an affidavit…where he clearly stated that Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) was instructed by the companies to undertake the defence of the 4th – 7th defendants (companies) in all legal proceedings they were involved in,” said the deponent.

    The SAN added that there was no resolution of the board or general meeting of any of the companies that authorised change of counsel, adding that companies through Briggs have not asked him to stop representing them.

    “The attempt to appoint another legal representative by the directors is invalid, having regard to the fact that he (Briggs) vide a sworn affidavit and a letter of instruction given to Chief Ozekhome, asked him to represent the 4th – 7th defendants,” he said.

    Besides, he said Justice Kuewumi had earlier ruled on a dispute on representation, recognising him as the authorised counsel for the companies; therefore, the judge had become functus officio.

    “I know that the application to change counsel is targeted at impeding the administration of justice and to prevent the 4th – 7th defendants from obtaining justice before this Honourable Court.

    “It will be prejudicial to the 4th – 7th defendants as well as the interest of justice in this case if the applicants are granted their prayers for change of counsel,” Ozekhome said.

    Justice Kuewumi adjourned till February 14 for hearing.

  • Money laundering: EFCC urges court not to reverse firms’ guilty plea

    Money laundering: EFCC urges court not to reverse firms’ guilty plea

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to refuse an application by four companies praying to reverse their guilty plea to laundering of $15,591,700.

    In its counter-affidavit signed by an investigating officer, Musbhau Yahaya, the Commission said the application was an abuse of court process and that the judge cannot be asked to overrule himself.

    The companies are praying for an order setting aside their conviction by Justice Babs Kuewumi on November 2, 2016 after they pleaded guilty through their representatives.

    According to them, their trial and conviction were done “in gross violation of their right to fair hearing.”

    The companies, in the application filed on their behalf by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), said their conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

    EFCC, in the counter-affidavit, alleged that a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex- President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, allegedly got part of the money from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

    EFCC said Dasuki withdrew the money from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and “handed it” over to Dudafa.

    The Commission said Dudafa laundered the money through the companies.

    He is currently being tried along with a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku. They pleaded not guilty to money laundering charges.

    But, the four companies charged along with them pleaded guilty and were convicted.

    They are – Pluto Properties and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.

    Wife of former President Jonathan, Dame Patience, in a separate suit, is laying claims to the money.

     

  • Money laundering: Jonathan’s ex-aide loses bid to nullify guilty plea

    A former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, on Friday lost his bid to nullify the guilty plea by four companies linked to Jonathan’s wife, Patience.

    Justice Babs Kuewumi dismissed the application because it was unmeritorious.

    The companies, on September 15, pleaded guilty to laundering $15,591,700 (about N5 billion) when they were arraigned.

    They are – Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited (represented by Friday Davis), Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited (represented by Agbor Baro), Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited (represented by Dioghowori Frederick) and Avalon Global Property Development Limited (represented by Taiwo Ebenezer).

    Mrs. Jonathan claimed the monies in the companies’ accounts were hers.

    The companies, along with a lawyer Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi.

    Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku, however, pleaded not guilty to a 17-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Dudafa and Briggs, through their lawyers, later urged the court to set aside the guilty plea entered on the firms’ behalf by their representatives.

    They urged the court to replace the guilty plea and with a “not-guilty” plea for the companies.

    They also contended that the court lacks the jurisdiction to accept the companies’ guilty plea.

    The defendants said those who pleaded guilty for the companies did not exhibit any letter authorising them to do so by the firms’ board.

    They argued that the prosecution failed to comply with Section 477(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 which specifies that such a representative must have authorisation.