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Tag: Waripamo-Owei Dudafa

  • I was not permitted to continue Kalu’s trial – Judge

    Justice Mohammed Idris on Wednesday said the Court of Appeal President Zainab Bulkachuwa did not give him a fiat to continue to adjudicate on the trial of former Abia State Governor Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.

    The judge was handling the 12-year-old case at the Federal High Court in Lagos before he was elevated to appellate court last June 13.

    While he was given a fiat to conclude the cases of former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja and former President Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-aide Dr Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, he said he got no such authorisation for Kalu’s.

    Justice Idris therefore adjourned Kalu’s trial indefinitely.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Kalu for allegedly laundering N7.65billion state funds.

    Addressing parties, Justice Idris said: “This matter was listed on Wednesday because it was adjourned till today for defence. What has happened is that the last fiat that was issued by the President of the Court of Appeal expired at the end of November 2018.

    “On the 10th of January, 2019, I received fresh fiat in respect of some matters that I have started and some new matters but this particular case was not mentioned.

    Read Also: Judge halts FG’s planned trial of CJN

    “For this reason, I have a strong feeling that I shouldn’t continue with proceedings in this case unless there is a further directive from the President of the Court of Appeal. I should not proceed further; otherwise I might be acting without authority.

    “In the circumstance, I am of the view that further proceedings shouldn’t go on until I receive further information by way of fresh fiat from the Court of Appeal President. As soon as I receive further instruction, hearing notice will be sent to counsel.”

    EFCC said Kalu, whist being governor between 2001 and September 2006, procured Slok Nigeria Ltd, a company owned by him and members of his family, to retain N7.2billion in its Inland Bank Plc account, on his behalf.

    The commission said the money “formed part of the funds illegally derived from the treasury of Abia State government and which was converted into several bank drafts before they were paid into the said company’s account”.

    Kalu was accused of collaborating with Udeh Jones Udeogu Slok Nigeria and Emeka Abone (at large) “in concealing the genuine origin of an aggregate sum of N7, 197,871,208.70…”

    The alleged offence violates Section 17(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, and was liable to be punished under Section 16.

    Kalu and Udeogu, a former Director of Finance in Abia State Government House, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    They were initially arraigned on a 34-count charge to which five fresh counts were added.

    Prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) said the amendment was needed because of new evidence provided by the 19 witnesses who testified in the trial. He said he would not call additional witnesses despite the amendment having closed the prosecution’s case on May 11.

    Beside the N7.2billion, the defendants were also accused of receiving N460million allegedly stolen from the Abia State Government treasury between July and December 2002.

    EFCC said they breached Section 427 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.

    Udeogu, Slok Nigeria, Abone and Michael Udo, also at large, were accused of collaborating with Kalu to conceal the “genuine origin” of allegedly stolen funds.

  • Court to hear EFCC’s amended charge against Dudafa Thursday

    A FEDERAL High Court in Lagos has fixed November 15, to take arguments on an amended charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, a former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Dudafa is charged alongside one Iwejuo Nna, on charges bordering on N1.6 billion fraud.

    EFCC arraigned the accused on June 11, 2013, before Justice Mohammed Idris on 23-count of conspiracy to conceal proceeds of crime.

    They had pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail.

    The prosecution closed its case on March 16, but the accused opted to make a no-case submission in its defence and urged the court to dismiss the case on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish any case against them.

    Justice Idris, in a ruling delivered in August, dismissed the no-case submission of the accused and ordered them to open their defence.

    Yesterday, the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of an amended charge against the accused and told the court that same had been served on defence counsel.

    He told the court that the amendment was not prejudicial and urged the court to accept same and cause the respective pleas of the accused to be taken.

    In response, defence counsel, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) and Ige Asemudara, resisted the move by prosecution, on the grounds that they had not studied the amended charge.

    Asemudara specifically told the court that he had just seen the amended charge since he was away when the prosecution informed him of same.

    He told the court that he required time to study same.

    Oyewole, on the other hand, told the court that he also needed time to go through the amended charge, as the amendment might be over reaching, adding that the defence counsel was mindful of its effect on the accused.

    He prayed the court for an adjournment.

    After listening to counsel, Justice Idris adjourned the case until Nov.15, to hear arguments on the charge.

    The court held that the outcome of the court’s ruling will then determine whether the adoption of final addresses will proceed thereafter.

    The offences for which the accused are being tried, contravenes the provisions of Sections 17(a), 18 (c), and 27 (3) (c) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004.

     

     

  • EFCC: No evidence that N1.6b was transferred to Jonathan’s church

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday said there was no evidence that ex-President Gooluck Jonathan’s former aide Dr Waripamo-Owei Dudafa transferred part of the N1.6billion he was accused of concealing to a church.

    It said contrary to Dudafa’s claim, the money was actually transferred to his company.

    Dudafa had claimed on Monday in his evidence-in-chief that the money was raised for a church courtesy of former President Jonathan.

    He had said: “From my interactions with former President Goodluck Jonathan, I know that the funds were proceeds of a launching by the Anglican Communion of Otuoke community for the building of St. Stephens Youth Development Centre, Otuoke.

    “The launching, which was done in Lagos on the 16th of March, 2013, was organised by the former president as a member of the Anglican Communion and the grand patron.”

    But during cross examination on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo dared Dudafa to show evidence that any part of the N1.6billion lodged in the Heritage Bank account of Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited was transferred to the church.

    But, Dudafa said only Jonathan could explain.

    Oyedepo showed Dudafa the statement of account and asked him indicate if there was any money transferred to the church.

    Dudafa said: “From Exhibit B (the account statement), no fund was transferred to the Anglican Communion of Otuoke Community. I can’t see it.

    “It couldn’t have been because only the former President could have given directive on what to do.”

    Asked to name the Bishop of the Anglican Communion of Otuoke Community, Dudafa said: “I don’t know; I only related with the former President.”

    Oyedepo pointed out from the statement of account that N30million was transferred on November 25, 2013 to The Jakes Fast Food and Restaurant, in which Dudafa had the highest share and which he also chaired.

    Read Also: EFCC investigates oil firm over alleged N184m fraud

    The EFCC lawyer also showed Dudafa the statement of account of The Jakes Fast Food and Restaurant with the Guarantee Trust Bank.

    “It is correct that as of today, the funds that are in the account of The Jakes, paid by a Bureau De Change operator, Murtala Bashir, is in excess of N500millio,” Oyedepo said.

    Oyedepo also pointed out that N30million was transferred between December 21 and 22, 2015 to the law firm of Mr Habila Sylvanus, who is an uncle to Dudafa, among others.

    Dudafa denied having anything to do with the Office of National Security Adviser or Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Led in evidence by his lawyer Mr. Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Dudafa said he never had any interaction with former National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

    He said his failure to fill the Assets Declaration form at the EFCC while being detained was due to the commission’s refusal to state the nature of his offence.

    He added that he did to fill the Asset Declaration form because he was not a public officer as he was not paid salary from the public accounts.

    He said: “I did not conspire to conceal any money, as the sources of the money are clear. I had no intention whatsoever to hide anything,” he said.

    Dudafa claimed that he ran De Jakes Fast Food even before his appointment by the former President, and that the company’s daily turnover between 2005 and 2011 was between N5million to N7 million daily.

    The EFCC arraigned Dudafa and a banker Iwejuo Joseph Nna on June 11, 2016 on a 23-count charge of conspiracy to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to N1.6 billion.

    EFCC said they used different companies to launder the money between June 2013 and June 2015.

    Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned until Friday.

  • Patience Jonathan ’s $15.591m case gets new date

    Patience Jonathan ’s $15.591m case gets new date

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday adjourned the hearing of Mrs Patience Jonathan ’s suit seeking to unfreeze her accounts till December 4.

    The accounts are said to have $15.5million in them.

    Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned to enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regularise its processes.

    The judge on May 8 held that Mrs Jonathan and other parties must give oral evidence on the money’s ownership.

    According to him, all the defendants’ counter-affidavits contain disputed facts that could not be decided without oral evidence.

    “In the circumstances, the court hereby orders that the parties herein file pleadings in accordance with the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009 and trial shall then proceed accordingly,” Justice Idris held.

    The EFCC had urged the court not to unfreeze the accounts because the money was suspected to be “proceed of crime”.

    Skye Bank Plc, Jonathan’s former aide Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, 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 are the other respondents.

    The companies, through their representatives, had pleaded guilty to laundering the money last September 15 when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the same court.

    They were charged along with Dudafa, Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, for allegedly laundering the money.
    Unlike the companies, Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.

    In a supporting affidavit to her application, Mrs Jonathan’s aide, Sammie Somiari, said Dudafa helped the former first lady to open the accounts around March 2010.

    The deponent claimed Mrs Jonathan was the sole signatory to the accounts and that she had no relationship with the companies.

  • Senators to banks: release Jonathan’s wife’s cash

    Senators to banks: release Jonathan’s wife’s cash

    Senators yesterday directed two commercial banks to unfreeze some accounts belonging to companies linked to former President Jonathan’s wife, Patience.

    The accounts, domiciled with Zenith Bank, Stanbic IBTC and others, were said to have been frozen on the orders of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The senators, at a hearing by the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, declared that the accounts in question were not encumbered by any legal processes and as such be unfrozen without delay.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, observed that some of the accounts were frozen based on certain administrative lapses.

    The lawmakers described the methods used in freezing the accounts as arbitrary, insisting that the EFCC failed to comply with due process in closing the accounts.

    Officials of the banks who appeared before the Senate panel however said the court order vacating the freezing of the said accounts had not been received by them.

    They however promised to reopen the accounts, based on the information made available by the senators.

    The committee members expressed worry that the banks could freeze accounts based on letters received from the EFCC without valid court orders.

    Also yesterday, the Federal High Court in Lagos was told how a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Gooluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs Dr Waripamo-Owei Dudafa allegedly laundered about N5.1billion for the former president’s wife.

    The EFCC arraigned Dudafa and Iwejuo Joseph Nna (alias Taiwo A. Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah) before Justice Mohammed Idris on 23-counts of conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds.

    They are on trial for alleged conspiracy to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to over N1.6billion on June 11, 2013, among others.

    Justice Idris adjourned till October 24 for hearing of the application to travel.

    Trial will continue on November 14 and 15.

  • Court declines to release Jonathan’s ex aide’s passport for foreign travel

    Court declines to release Jonathan’s ex aide’s passport for foreign travel

    A Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday declined to order the release of the international passport of a former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Justice Chuka Obiozor, a vacation judge, refused to entertain Dudafa’s application, saying he was not convinced that there was any emergency.

    Dudafa’s application urged the court to release his passport to enable him to travel abroad to treat a spinal cord injury.

    He allegedly sustained the injury while in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Dudafa, who is facing a N5.1billion fraud trial before Justice Mohammed Idris of the same court, deposited his passport in the court’s custody as part of his bail conditions.

    But he told Justice Obiozor that he needed to urgently travel abroad for a medical appointment and urged the court to release the passport to him.

    Defence counsel Kolawole Salami said the medical appointment was earlier scheduled for July 18 and 19, 2017 but had to be rescheduled for July 28, 2017 as Dudafa had yet to get access to his passport.

    He urged Justice Obiozor to hear and grant the application, saying his client’s health was at stake.

    But his prayer failed to convince the judge.

    The judge reasoned that if there was truly an emergency, Dudafa would have ensured that his application, which was filed since May, was heard by Justice Mohammed Idris who ordered him to deposit the passport, before the judge proceeded on vacation.

    Justice Obiozor rejected Salami’s explanation that hearing of the application before Justice Idris was stalled due to the EFCC’s failure to respond to the application despite being served.

    He said he would not be the one to release Dudafa’s passport to him, and directed him to wait till October 16, 2017 when Justice Idris, who ordered Dudafa to deposit the passport, would have returned from vacation.

    “Let him reschedule to October; he can reschedule to October,” Justice Obiozor said.

    The EFCC is prosecuting Dudafa on 23 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering.

    He is standing trial alongside his ex-account officer at Heritage Bank, Joseph Iwuejo, who was said to have aided him to perpetrate the alleged fraud.

    The anti-graft agency alleged that between June 2013 and June 2015, Dudafa and Iwuejo, who also claimed to be Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah, used different companies to fraudulently launder various sums of money running into N5.1bn.

    But Dudafa and Iwuejo pleaded not guilty to the charge.

     

  • $15.5m fraud: Absence of EFCC’s prosecutor stalls Dudafa’s trial

    $15.5m fraud: Absence of EFCC’s prosecutor stalls Dudafa’s trial

    The absence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecutor on Wednesday in Lagos stalled the ongoing trial of Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, a former Senior Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Dudafa is standing trial at a Federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged concealment of 15.5 million dollars (about N4.8 billion) which the former Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, has laid claim to.

    He was charged alongside two others, a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs, a senior staff of Skye Bank , Adedamola Bolodeoku, and four companies.

    The four companies are Pluto Property Development Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development Company Ltd, Transocean Property Development Company Ltd, and Avalon Property Development Company Ltd.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, the court informed the defendants that the EFCC prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, had written a letter seeking for an adjournment.

    The letter stated that the prosecutor was on a national assignment outside the court’s jurisdiction.

    Responding to the EFCC’s letter, Dudafa’s counsel, Mr Gboyega Oyewole, said it was an “unfortunate situation” for the defendants.

    He said if the defendants had acted that way, EFCC would have accused both the court and the defence of delaying the proceedings.

    “Rotimi Oyedepo is not the only lawyer in EFCC, the commission has the largest lawyers’ chamber in Nigeria. It is an unfortunate situation, and I urge the court not to grant the application.”

    Also, counsel to the second defendant, Mr Ige Asemudara, said he was surprised that the prosecutor would not be in court because of a “national assignment” which was not well explained.

    He, therefore, urged the court not to grant the application.

    Counsel to the third defendant and the four companies, Mr Joseph Okobieme and Mr Jeff Kadri agreed with the submissions of the first and second defendants.

    The lawyers urged the court not to grant the adjournment, but to dismiss the charge against the defendants.

    In his ruling, Justice Babs Kuewumi, said the court would adjourn the case in the interest of justice.

    He fixed Sept 13 for continuation of trial.

  • Jonathan’s ex-aide made voluntary statement – EFCC

    … Commission denies inducing Dudafa

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday denied inducing a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Gooluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to make a statement.

    Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered a trial-within-trial to determine if Dudafa made a voluntary statement to the EFCC.

    The judge made the order on November 21 after Dudafa, through his lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole, claimed that the commission “induced” him to make the statement.

    He alleged that his statement to the commission was not made voluntarily.

    Testifying in the trial-within-trial on Wednesday, an EFCC investigator, Orji Chukwuma and an operative Akeem Lasisi, said Dudafa made his statement voluntarily.

    The duo said they cautioned the suspect before making his statement, adding that he was not forced to write anything against his will.

    EFCC arraigned Dudafa on 23-count charge of conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds.

     

  • I didn’t confirm source of Jonathan’s aide’s funds – Witness

    A witness in the trial of former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Gooluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, has told the Federal High Court in Lagos that he did not confirm the source of foreign currencies the defendant asked him to convert to naira.

    A Bureau de Change operator, Murtala Abubakar, had told the court on Monday that he received about N1.6 billion from Mr. Dudafa through five companies.

    “He (Mr. Dudafa) usually sent two of his employees – Festus and Jahman –  with dollars in order to change same and deposit the naira equivalent into specific accounts he provided via text messages,” said Mr. Abubakar.

    Under cross examination during a continuation of the trial, Dudafa’s lawyer, Gbenga Oyewole, asked Abubakar if the transaction he did with Dudafa was illegal.

    He said: “My Bureau De Change is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). I ensure the people I deal with are not criminals. My transactions with Dudafa are not in contravention of any CBN rules. If we know money is from a questionable source, we reject it.”

    The witness said he had no reason to doubt the source of currencies Dudafa gave him.

    “I know that he is a public servant. He invited me to the Presidential Villa,” he said, adding that he had known Dudafa since when he was Bayelsa State Commissioner for Local Government.

    Abubakar said Dudafa called him through different mobile lines, such as 08158430790, 08062999000, and 08189666600.

    “He called to ask me how much a Pound Sterling was to naira,” he said.

    Oyewole, however, said Dudafa did not have three mobile lines.

    He asked the witness: “Will it surprise you to know that 08189666600 is the only registered line of the first defendant?” The witness replied: “Yes.”

  • N4.9b fraud: EFCC charges three companies linked to Jonathan’s ex-aide

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged three companies linked to former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Gooluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs Waripamo-Owei Dudafa.

    They are Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited and Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited.

    They were charged before Justice Abdulazeez Anka of the Federal High Court in Lagos, along with Sombre Omeibi, who is said to be at large.

    Dudafa was arraigned on June 15 before Justice Mohammed Idris for allegedly conspiring to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to over N1.6billion on June 11, 2013.

    He was arraigned along with Iwejuo Joseph Nna (alias Taiwo A. Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah) on a 23-count charge of conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds.

    The defendants allegedly concealed the money through Seagate Property Development and Investment, 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 Limited in the sum of N 399, 470,000.00, among others.

    In the new charge, the three companies were accused of indirectly retaining $15,591,700 (about N4, 981,548,150), which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceed of an unlawful act.

    The alleged offence is contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.