An
official of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Timothy Olaobaju, on Monday narrated how a
former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, stashed
away a sum of $115,010,000 in the bank with subsequent instruction to change it
into naira and distribute it among individuals in the 36 states of the
federation.
Among
the beneficiaries, Olaobaju said, were
a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and former
governorship aspirant in Kwara State, Mr. Dele Belgore; and a former Minister
of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, who both received N450m.
Olaobaju
said this on Monday, when he appeared as a prosecution witness before Justice
Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos where Belgore and Sulaiman are
being tried for alleged money laundering involving N450m.
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charged Belgore and Sulaiman with five
counts.
Charged
along with the SAN and the ex-minister is Diezani, who is said to “still be at
large.”
The
EFCC had earlier arraigned Belgore and Sulaiman on February 8, 2017 but they
were re-arraigned on Monday on an amended charge which included the name of
Diezani.
Upon
their re-arraignment on Monday, Belgore and Sulaiman pleaded not guilty to the
five charges just as they had earlier done.
Trial
commenced immediately after the defendants’ plea with the EFCC calling Olaobaju
as its first witness.
Led in
evidence by the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness narrated,
“Sometime in April 2014, our MD, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, gave a directive that
certain companies and individuals would pay into an account with our bank some
amounts of money. The purpose of the payment was not disclosed.
“Over
the period, thereafter, some amounts were paid into the account. The funds were
deposited in dollar. The total sum was $115,010,000.
“On the
27th of March, 2015, there was an instruction from the former Petroleum
Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, through our MD, that the fund in
the account should be converted to naira and paid to certain individuals of
which the list of beneficiaries was sent to our MD and the amount to be paid to
them in naira.
“The
funds were paid according to Alison-Madueke’s instructions.
“On the
list sent to our branch, the names of the defendants (Belgore and Sulaiman)
were on that list because the money was paid in about 36 states of the
federation.
“The
defendants are not customers of our bank.
“The
instruction was that the sum of N450m should be paid to Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN)
and Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.
“They
both received the money and they filled the Receipt of Payment as evidence of
receipt of the money and acknowledgment of same.”
The
witness said Belgore and Sulaiman signed separate Receipts of Payment for the
same N450 on March 26, 2015.
The
court admitted both Receipts of Payment in evidence and marked them as Exhibits
1 and 1A.
Asked
by the prosecutor whether any cheque was issued in favour of Belgore and
Sulaiman in respect of the fund, the witness answered in the negative.
Asked
whether the N450m was credited into any account, the witness said, “To my
knowledge, the N450m was not credited into any account.”
For the
cross-examination of the witness, Belgore’s lawyer, Chief Ebun Shofunde (SAN),
asked for an adjournment, as he said most of what the witness said on Monday
were not in the proof of evidence front-loaded and served on the defence
counsel.
Sulaiman’s
lawyer, Mr. Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN), aligned himself with Shofunde.
The
prosecutor said he would grudgingly concede to an adjournment till Tuesday in
view of his respect for the defence counsel.
Justice
Aikawa, consequently, adjourned the matter till Tuesday for further
proceedings.
In the
charges, Sulaiman, a professor of Political Science and International Relations
at the University of Abuja, and Belgore, a former governorship aspirant in
Kwara State, were accused of conspiring between themselves to commit the
offence on March 27, 2015.
The duo
were accused of making a cash transaction of N450m on March 27, 2015, without
going through any financial institution.
The
EFCC claimed that the defendants paid N50m to one Sheriff Shagaya.
The
EFCC said the cash sum was above the lawful threshold permitted by the Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
The
EFCC claimed that the defendants “ought to have reasonably known that the N450m
formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act.”
Belogore
and Sulaiman were accused of violating sections 1(a), 16(d), 15(2)(d) and18(a)
of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.
The
prosecution said they are liable to be punished under sections 15(3)(4), and
16(2)(b) of the same Act.
Justice
Aikawa had earlier granted them bail on self recognisance
orijoreporter
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