THE Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) may this week move to
seize property of 31 other accused persons
standing trial alongside former Director of
Pension Administration in the Office of the
Head of Civil Service of the Federation,
Sani Teidi Shuaibu, over the N4.56 billion
pensions fraud.
The development is coming as the
Commission summoned the Commissioner
for Finance in Ondo State, Mr. Yele
Ogundipe, to appear before it in connection
with the alleged N100 billion fraud
allegation for which the Chairman of the
Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development
Commission (OSOPADEC), Mr. Debo Ajimuda,
was recently arrested and interrogated.
The Commissioner, according to an EFCC
source, was summoned along with three
others. They are the Secretary and
Accountant to OSOPADEC as well as Deputy
Director for Accounts at the state Ministry
of Works.
OSOPADEC Chairman, Ajimuda was arrested
on Tuesday, March 20, over alleged criminal
diversion and embezzlement of project
funds.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency has said
that Monday’s court dismissal of the case
on Halliburton bribery scandal is certainly
not the end of the case, giving indication of
plan to re-file the suit.
A top operative of the EFCC disclosed to The
Guardian in Abuja yesterday that with the
successful seizure of some property
belonging to Shuaibu, the commission will
move to seize the property of the other
accused persons joined in the alleged N4.56
billion scam.
The EFCC operative, referring to the
powers granted by court, said that the
commission had permitted the Executive
Chairman of EFCC to seize and retain
custody of all the properties or assets of
persons connected with the transaction or
allegation. He said that the court verdict,
also empowered the EFCC to confiscate the
assets of the 31 co-accused persons. “And
more assets will be recovered,” he said.
The EFCC, at the weekend, seized the
property of Shuaibu, which include two
choice houses and four filling stations.
The EFCC had informed the media on
Monday, that it would, in carrying out the
powers granted it by the court in July
2011, moved in at the weekend to seize the
property of Shuaibu.
The Commission had quoted the court
verdict which states that: “the Executive
Chairman of EFCC is permitted to seize and
retain custody of all the property or assets
of persons (as listed in the attached
schedules) though not yet charged but
found to be connected with the transaction
or allegation contained in charge No. FHC/
ABJ/CR/28/2011’.
“The Executive Chairman of Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, is hereby
permitted to seize and retain custody of all
such properties or assets of persons listed
in the schedules attached to this Motion,
which assets are suspected proceeds of
crime or the value thereof until the final
determination of Charge no. FHC/ABJ/
CR/28/2011.”
The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwajaren,
declined comment on the planned move.
On the Halliburton bribery scandal, a top
management official of the anti-graft
commission, told The Guardian yesterday
that the EFCC might soon re-file the case
before the court. The official, who did not
want his name in print, said the EFCC was
incapacitated to pursue the case because it
had no power to compel the accused persons
to appear in court to take their pleas.
According to him, since the case was
already in court, it was the responsibility
of the court to compel the accused persons
to appear in court to take their pleas. The
EFCC source added that the court had also
not considered the commission’s application
for a bench warrant to compel the accused
to appear in court.
Further explaining why the EFCC could not
pursue the case, he said, “the Prosecution
filed an application before the court for a
bench warrant to compel the accused
persons to appear before the court but his
Lordship in his wisdom, did not consider the
application even though counsel to the
accused were in court.
“The EFCC could not effect an arrest
because the matter was already before the
court. It was the duty of the court to
compel their appearance since the case had
been fully charged before it”, he said.
He also stated that the problem with the
case was not the charges, but the fact
that the accused persons failed to appear
in court; and according to him, it was the
duty of the court to compel them to appear
before it.
“The judge created an impression that we
are not serious and that is not correct.
The case is an inter-agency investigation
even though it was the EFCC that charged
it to court. The problem is that each time
the case is called, all accused were not in
court to take their plea, and by court
principle, they must all be present for
prosecution to begin”.
“The case was dismissed after a few
adjournments but it’s not an acquittal;
they were never arraigned. All the accused
were never available together”, he said.
When contacted, on the next line of action,
EFCC’s spokesman, Uwajaren, simply said
the judge’s decision would be reviewed
before the next step is taken.
http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81467:efcc-to-seize-assets-of-31-persons-in-pensions-scam&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

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