AN Executive Director of First Bank Plc, Dauda Lawal, has accused Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of falsifying the circumstances under which he surrendered N9.08 billion to the commission.

EFCC had urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the forfeiture of the money allegedly laundered for former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

But Lawal, in a counter-affidavit filed in opposition to EFCC’s prayers, said there was a desperate bid by the commission to obtain an order of forfeiture from the court.

He denied ever being in possession of property suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity held or laundered on behalf of Mrs. Alison-Madueke.

Lawal said following his arrest on May 9, 2016, he cooperated with EFCC and made a full admission to having received $25 million.

“Having provided evidence to the EFCC of how the $25 million so obtained had been disbursed, I was still made to agree to surrender to the EFCC an additional sum of N9.08 billion being the naira equivalent of $40 million at the rate of N227 to $1,” he said.

He said based on the agreement, he surrendered N5 billion to regain his freedom last May 13, but that the EFCC reneged on the agreement to release him despite surrendering 56 per cent of the amount.

Lawal said he made statements to EFCC about the circumstances following the release.

“Had the EFCC disclosed my witness statements to His Lordship Justice Muslim Hassan, he would not have granted them the interim order for forfeiture on January 6, 2017,” he said.

On how he received the $25 million, Lawal said he received a call from a friend, Stanley Lawson, March 2015 to help collect the money, which he subsequently paid into an account provided for him.

“I had no idea of the origin of the said funds and only acted in the course of normal banking business,” he said.

The banker said EFCC allegedly compelled him to provide funds he never received.

Lawal said in the affidavit: “Having been invited and subsequently detained in Lagos for 11 consecutive days and without access to members of my immediate family, the EFCC investigators kept suggesting and insisting that there was a shortfall of $40 million, which I was yet to account for.

“They were alleging that I had in fact taken $65 million as opposed to the $25 million, which I stated that I had received.

“The EFCC investigators interviewing me made it clear that the only way that I could/would leave detention is if I made their suggested shortfall available to them.

“I had now been in detention for several days, not seen my family and felt that the only way of being allowed to leave EFCC detention was by giving into their demands.

“My legal representatives and I became extremely fearful that if I did not take this course of action, I was going to be detained by the EFCC for at least a further 19 days, with the real prospect that this could be extended.

“At this stage, I was extremely desperate and would have agreed to almost anything to ensure my release from detention.

“Because I never had this EFCC invented $40 million to hand, I had to use my personal connections to source for and raise about 50 per cent of the said amount while I was in detention.

“I managed to borrow some of the money from the bank where I am an Executive Director and surrendered it to the EFCC through my legal counsel and was eventually released from detention on May 20, 2016.

“Consequently, in a three week period between May 13 and June 6, 2016, I was made to surrender to the EFCC Recovery Account at the Central Bank of Nigeria the total sum of N9.08 billion.”

He is praying the court to set aside the temporary order of forfeiture on the basis of alleged suppression of material fact by EFCC.

“I believe that it is in the interest of justice for this court to deny the applicant’s application for a final order of forfeiture in this case so as to ensure that justice is served,” Lawal said.

The bank chief made a counter-claim for an order directing EFCC to return the N9.08 billion to him.

But, EFCC, in its reply to the counter-affidavit, said the N9.08 billion, “being proceeds of the unlawful activities retained by the second respondent (Lawal) was recovered from him voluntarily by the applicant (EFCC)”.

“The second respondent confessed to have retained the said sum and voluntarily pledged before his lawyer to return same to the Federal Government,” the commission said.

Insisting that the money formed part of unlawful activities, EFCC asked the court to make a permanent forfeiture order of the money.

“While the second respondent was in our custody, he had unfettered access to his lawyers, immediate family and friends.

“It is in the interest of justice to grant this application forfeiting the total sum of N9,080,000,000 being properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful act found in possession of the second respondent,” EFCC said.

Justice Hassan adjourned until February 16 for ruling.

http://thenationonlineng.net/diezani-returned-n9-08b-efcc-bank-chief/

Now I see hmmmmm

Why enemies of state are frustrated this days

1) collapsed of MMM

2) Recovery of looted funds

All this are more than enough to frustrate one.

They will come and be chanting she's not corrupt

Gej ruined our economy greatly

Only God can forgive him

They will claim network is not clear

They will run away from this thread

9 billion naira

That money can finish a 75km road

In some other news No portable water in ogbia local government where there hero comes from that money can make a dam and generate a solar power for them

Jonah failed woefully

These looters are shamelessly pathetic.
How can an educated adult of his standing who is rightly aware of his right to stand by his deeds be so compelled by efcc operatives to open up to something he had no knowledge of in the first instance?
He better comes up with a superior defense.

I don't blame them,it is our faulty criminal justice system that they are talking advantage of to delay and subvert justice.

Only enemies of state will support ALIBABA( Jonathan) and the forty thieves .

Jonah crippled the economy

He's not and can't be an elder statesman

He's only popular among the hailing hailers

Looted, recovered to be looted.

sunsplash99:
k

Say something

Don't just say OK

Jonah failed us all

sarrki:

Say something
Don't just say OK
Jonah failed us all

just the way buhari is failing now.

Nigerian politicians greed are legendary, when millions of its citizen are living in penury yet some furtunate few are stealing for their 10th generation's yet unborn.

jeffizy:
What you won't eat, you don't sniff.
Now, all Dauda is contesting for is the amount to refund.
Ogbeni, small thief, big thief, all na thieves o!

You are a patriotic citizen

When these loot loving bastards are caught that's when we start to discover that they have AIDS, are actually cripples or were being forced to return money that they did not steal just because the efcc's office had no dstv or ac! The bastard should take it take it that the interest they collected from him was part of the interest the cash generated when it was lying in his account and also for the stress the govt has faced in trying to catch them all! Bloody lying rogue...

Funlordmaniac:


When these loot loving bastards are caught that's when we start to discover that they have AIDS, are actually cripples or were being forced to return money that they did not steal just because the efcc's office had no dstv or ac! The bastard should take it take it that the interest they collected from him was part of the interest the cash generated when it was lying in his account and also for the stress the govt has faced in trying to catch them all! Bloody lying rogue...

You always stand out

Due to the patriotic nature in you

Make I read first

sarrki:
Now I see hmmmmm

Why enemies of state are frustrated this days

1) collapsed of MMM

2) Recovery of looted funds

All this are more than enough to frustrate one.

They will come and be chanting she's not corrupt

Gej ruined our economy greatly

Only God can forgive him

My Broda you lie, the facts so far at the disposal of the public does not tally with your arrived conclusion, moreso one can infer from Mr Lawal's response that corruption hold sway even in the corruption body Efcc. Between Dieziani and Efcc we dont know which is more corrupt.

sarrki:
Only enemies of state will support ALIBABA( Jonathan) and the forty thieves .

Jonah crippled the economy

He's not and can't be an elder statesman

He's only popular among the hailing hailers

But he is in the US House of Representatives right now after enjoying an amazing dinner in downtown D.C.

Right now you can not point to where the billions already recovered from your President have gone.

And we are still asking what caused recession.

Bitterleafsoup:
But he is in the US House of Representatives right now after enjoying an amazing dinner in downtown D.C.

Right now you can not point to where the billions already recovered from your President have gone.

That's the problem

He looted our commonwealth dry you are telling us that he had dinner in downtown

If he likes let him move from downtown to Fairfax in Virginia, belts ville or upper malboro in Maryland from there to Baltimore to Delaware connect Pennsylvania move down to Newark straight to Penn Station finally come out in Manhattan in new York City

Jonah is a failure

Wehdone efcc keep harvesting yams
Sic...since efcc is under control of the executive we need a new sheriff come 2019 to uncover yams stolen by this current executive but...would this daura man give free and fair election?

sarrki:


That's the problem

He looted our commonwealth dry you are telling us that he had dinner in downtown

If he likes let him move from downtown to Fairfax in Virginia, belts ville or upper malboro in Maryland from there to Baltimore to Delaware connect Pennsylvania move down to Newark straight to Penn Station finally come out in Manhattan in new York City

Jonah is a failure

Well d man said he was forced to admit to a shortfall.. What u should b asking is, where was d shortfall noticed? They earlier told him its about $50m.. Dis is not about Jonathan but anything to rock ur boat.. Ppl are suffering, so leave politics till 2019

sarrki:
They will claim network is not clear

They will run away from this thread

9 billion naira

That money can finish a 75km road

In some other news No portable water in ogbia local government where there hero comes from that money can make a dam and generate a solar power for them

Jonah failed woefully

Another Red meat for them zombies..

Guess what; The reality you have refused to accept because of your desperation to see evil in only one side, is the FACT that as we speak in this country, toady-today, monumental corruption of this magnitude and the ones even bigger than this are still going on among the favored group in government.., and you know why they are going on unhindered? Because evil looters know and can always count on the support of very loquacious characters like you who in your petty solidarity for the sitting president will never criticize him nor see the evil/corruption in his government.

Zombies are drastically reducing in numbers...only sarrki d oba of zombies is doin all dia job by continously commenting in one thread like they put his brain on repeat Fadebuhari d 6th is around d corner...i see d job is becoming very hard

Eazybay:



Well d man said he was forced to admit to a shortfall.. What u should b asking is, where was d shortfall noticed? They earlier told him its about $50m.. Dis is not about Jonathan but anything to rock ur boat.. Ppl are suffering, so leave politics till 2019

It is about Jonathan you guys cannot whitewash a failure abd expect everyone to keep silent. .. it is much about hin... we should believe a thief over EFCC? Oh please

Hmmm

Bitterleafsoup:
But he is in the US House of Representatives right now after enjoying an amazing dinner in downtown D.C.

Right now you can not point to where the billions already recovered from your President have gone.

This is the best you can say?

sarrki:
Now I see hmmmmm

Why enemies of state are frustrated this days

1) collapsed of MMM

2) Recovery of looted funds

All this are more than enough to frustrate one.

They will come and be chanting she's not corrupt

Gej ruined our economy greatly

Only God can forgive him

tiri gbosa for you, all those condemning your comment are enemies of the state. They are just bitter that their hero "the ineffectual buffoon" was booted out of power, Shame on to the promoters of corruption and also shame on to the wailing wailers. Nigeria will surly be great

vedaxcool:


It is about Jonathan you guys cannot whitewash a failure abd expect everyone to keep silent. .. it is much about hin... we should believe a thief over EFCC? Oh please

So let us go on about Jonathan did any epistle up dea state he approved money or sth? Did d person up dea mention Diezani? Oga he was under duress to pay Magu and now he has his day in court he wants his money back first!

Now go back and read, till u're done pls remain SILENT

If u are in possession of this #9.8billion and decide to spend #1million daily, it will take u 26years and 8months before u finish it.

Nigeria is beyond redemption.You can imagine a theif that is suppose to be chilling in Kuje standing before another corrupt Judge probably having the guts to make this ridiculous demand.

How can u forfeit over 9billion Naira under the guise of being in fearful state. It's obvious he is got much more than that he is hiding somewhere else,EFCC should do the needful and force him to bring out more from where he went to source the 9B within that shortest period of time.