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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Diezani Loses 80 Billion Naira To Federal Government (611 Views)
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Diezani Loses 80 Billion Naira To Federal Government by gebest: 6:48am On Feb 17, 2017 |
The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday
ordered the forfeiture of $153million allegedly
belonging to former Minister of Petroleum
Resources Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke to the
Federal Government.
The Economic Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) said the money was laundered for the
former minster.
Justice Muslim Hassan held that the money
was a product of unlawful activity.
The judge ordered the forfeiture of unclaimed
N23.4billion, $5million as well as $40million
(the naira equivalent of which is N9.08billion).
EFCC said the laundered money was
$153million, some of which was converted to
naira.
“I am satisfied that all the conditions in
Section 17 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and
other Related Offences Act have been met,”
the judge held.
The section makes a property that is
reasonably suspected to be proceeds of
unlawful act forfeitable to the Federal
Government.
Justice Hassan had on January 6 ordered the
temporary forfeiture of the money stashed in
various banks.
While the N23.4billion and $5million were
unclaimed, a bank chief, Dauda Lawal, claimed
the $40million (which was worth N9.08billion,
when it was forfeited to the EFCC).
Lawal had accused EFCC of falsifying the
circumstances under which he surrendered the
N9.08billion.
He denied ever being in possession of
properties 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 the EFCC and made
a full admission to having received $25million.
“Having provided evidence to the EFCC of how
the $25million so obtained had been
disbursed, I was still made to agree to
surrender to the EFCC an additional sum of
N9.08billion being the naira equivalent of
$40million at the rate of N227 to $1,” he said.
On how he got the money, Lawal said he
received a call from a personal friend, Stanley
Lawson, around March 2015 to help collect
$25million from someone in Lagos, 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.
But, Justice Hassan held that the evidence
before him showed that Lawal surrendered the
money to the EFCC voluntarily.
“He was duly cautioned. He signed. He made
the statement in the presence of his counsel,
who endorsed it. I hold that the statement
was made voluntarily.
“There is no evidence that he borrowed the
money from friends. How he borrowed the
money was not disclosed,” the judge held.
After ordering the final forfeiture of the
unclaimed N23.4billion and $5million, he said:
“In respect of the second respondent, learned
counsel informed the court that the second
respondent filed a counter affidavit on why the
sum of N9.08 billion should not be forfeited.
“I have carefully examined the affidavit
evidence before the court and I find that the
second respondent was duly cautioned in
English language before his statement was
taken and so, I hold that same was taken
without any evidence of inducement.
“On the whole I am satisfied that all the
conditions stated in Section 17 of the
Advanced Fee Fraud and other Related
offences Act was duly fulfilled by the
applicant.
“I accordingly make the following orders: An
order for the final forfeiture of the sum of
N23,426,300,000 and USD$5million being
unclaimed property to the Federal Government
of Nigeria.
“An order of final forfeiture is made to the
Federal Government of Nigeria the sum of
N9,080,000,000 recovered from the second
respondent being proceed unlawful activity,”
the judge held.
Before the judgment, Lawal’s lawyer, Charles
Adeogun-Phillips, had informed the court of an
application for leave to file further affidavits to
his counter-affidavit.
He also said parties were exploring means of
reaching amicable settlement out of court.
Adeogun-Phillips said he wanted to supply
fresh evidence in a further affidavit as to how
his client raised the money he forfeited to the
EFCC.
“The issues are material to the disposition of
this case, because he did not provide details
of where he borrowed the money from,” he
said.
EFCC lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo, who claimed he
was not aware of any discussions to settle the
case out of court, opposed Adeogun-Phillips’
application, saying it was a bid to arrest the
judgment.
Justice Hassan refused the application, saying
it was an “after-thought” and a “booby trap”.
He held that no convincing reason was
adduced as to why the evidence was not
supplied earlier.
“This fresh evidence, in my view, is an
afterthought and is intended to overreach the
prosecution and cause injustice.
“The instant application is unmeritorious and
is hereby dismissed,” Justice Hassan held. 1 Like |
Re: Diezani Loses 80 Billion Naira To Federal Government by Kingsasian(m): 6:53am On Feb 17, 2017 |
When will they start jailing those stealing our dollars? I don tire to hear and read of efcc seize this and that. |
Re: Diezani Loses 80 Billion Naira To Federal Government by thorpido(m): 6:53am On Feb 17, 2017 |
How can one person keep N80 billion to herself?Sheer madness 1 Like |
Re: Diezani Loses 80 Billion Naira To Federal Government by odiereke(m): 6:54am On Feb 17, 2017 |
Make God saves dis Nigeria from all dis Politithief. 1 Like |
Re: Diezani Loses 80 Billion Naira To Federal Government by Boleyndynasty2(f): 6:57am On Feb 17, 2017 |
Thought I read where she said she doesn't know anything about all this money?!! |
Re: Diezani Loses 80 Billion Naira To Federal Government by rusher14: 7:09am On Feb 17, 2017 |
Nigeria Reclaims Money Cornered By Past Petroleum Minister. |
Re: Diezani Loses 80 Billion Naira To Federal Government by Mynd44: 7:16am On Feb 17, 2017 |
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