Investigators in South Africa have dismissed Nigerian government’s explanations of the purpose of the $9.3 million cash seized from two Nigerians and an Israeli as “flawed and riddled with discrepancies”.
The suspects told South African authorities that the money was meant for the procurement of arms for Nigerian intelligence agencies.
The jet used to ferry the money is owned by Ayo Oritsejafor, who heads the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN.
Mr. Oritsejafor, a cleric, said he is not aware of the arms deal. He said although he owns the aircraft, it was managed by another company, Eagle Air Company, which in turn, leased the jet to a third party, Green Coast Produce Limited.
The Nigerian government in an unsigned statement, Tuesday, said it has provided South African authorities with documents and receipts to prove that the transaction was “legitimate.”
Nigerian security officials also said that it was normal practice to procure arms with cash.
“The Federal Government has submitted relevant data and documents on the transaction to South Africa and insisted that the transaction was legitimate. It also clarified that the funds were not laundered or smuggled for any covert manoeuvres. No launderer will be audacious to fly into a country in a chartered jet with such a huge cash,” a
statement by PRNigeria, an agency that regularly disseminates media statements for the military, police and other security agencies in Nigeria explained.
The statement tallies with what top security officials told PREMIUM TIMES in confidence that the money was legit as the government decided to buy the arms secretly; because the U.S. government had allegedly blocked its efforts to buy arms openly.
However, the government’s explanation does not seem to be gaining traction with South African investigators as the Asset Forfeiture Unit, AFU, of the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa, NPA, has obtained a court order to freeze the money.
The NPA, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday said that the manner which the money was brought into the
country breached the country’s laws that deal with the transfer of foreign exchange of such proportion.
“The money was initially detained by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) as it was not disclosed or declared at customs, and was above the prescribed legal limit for the amount of cash that may be brought into the country,” it said in a statement.
Investigators also cast serious doubt on the Nigerian government’s explanation that the money was meant for the procurement of arms and that it has provided documents and receipt to back its legitimacy, raising serious concern that suspects might have been in the process of laundering the money before it was intercepted.
The NPA said its investigation shows that Tier One Services Group, the firm Nigerian government claimed it wanted to procure the arms from, is not authorised to sell or rent military hardware.
“In court papers, the NPA submitted evidence that Tier One is not registered with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee and is thus not authorised to enter into any agreements regarding the sale and/or rental of military equipment,” the statement read.
Tier One has apparently issued an invoice to a Cyprus based company, ESD International Group Ltd, ESD, in respect of the procurement of armaments and helicopters to be delivered to Nigeria. However, South African investigators said the time when the invoice was prepared and the time the money was brought in threw up some serious issues of its true intent.
The money was ferried to South Africa less than a week from the date the invoice was prepared (September 8, 2014).
The involvement of a Cyprus based company also heightens the suspicion that this may be a case of classical money laundering. Cyprus is notorious for its secretive banking system, which attracts shady characters and corrupt politicians looking to dry-clean ill-gotten funds.
The NPA added that the transaction did not follow normal procedure in the procurement of the kind of equipment it was alleged to have been meant for.

source

hmmm thank God it seem God is now listing to our prayer in this nation hope Jonathan can survive these labara maku we are waiting for your propaganda on this issues I do not have anything to say now until everything reveal that barsterd called can president should resign immediately enough is enough ayo and Jonathan should stop tanish our image this is not a doctrines our Jesus Christ I wonder when ayo start using his jet for business they should investigate him very well if found guilt they should prosecute him

Premium Times ...another Sahara Reporters

I know that some people will still not believe premium times just like they did sahara reporter, but as u can see, those info came from south African gov't, so if u don't believe premium times, u can contact south Africa ASAP.
Mr Jonathan,wo aye re lode(Mr Jonathan, see ur life outside)

Abeg front page ooo

front page material naw
mod y wasting time?

they no kukuma like Nigeria b4.

When a wise man is surrounded with fool.s. It might directly or indirectly affect him

“If entering or leaving a country with undeclared $9.3
million is mere ”procedural error”,
why was Sule Lamido’s son convicted for not declaring a
mere $50,000 dollars at the
Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport?”
………….All Progressives Congress (Party); APC
[September 18, 2014]

This is getting interesting...

The question is why the bust at this time.

a

This government is messing itself so terribly as well as all Nigerians and the country at large!

Nigeria is finished! What is wrong with this people? Why can't they do things the normal way?

Kudos to the South African government for standing firm on rule of law on this matter.
The South African government is urged to press the case until the money is forfeited.
Criminals inside Nigerian government circles must not benefit from financial wrongdoing.

I cry for my country!!!!

ok

Just look at the level GEJ and the PDP has brought us to in Nigeria. Little south Africa as we usually see them dealing with the so called "Giant" of Africa, Nigeria. This present administration is so corrupt that I lack words to explain it. How on earth will GEJ forget where he comes from and begin to steal everything he lays his hands on Nigeria? What's the difference btw GEJ's govt and the previous govt we have been accusing of squandering our common wealth? GEJ is as corrupt as late head of state Gen. Sani Abacha. No apologies pls. I sincerely thank South Africa govt for living up to expectation on this matter. Few months ago when Robert Mugabe made caricature of Nigeria's corruption level, tongs were wagging in Nigeria. And now, what's is happening?

Do not be so stupid as to take the words of a foreign government over the words of your own government. In your place no South African would.

johnmartus: hmmm thank God it seem God is now listing to our prayer in this nation hope Jonathan can survive these labara maku we are waiting for your propaganda on this issues I do not have anything to say now until everything reveal that barsterd called can president should resign immediately enough is enough ayo and Jonathan should stop tanish our image this is not a doctrines our Jesus Christ I wonder when ayo start using his jet for business they should investigate him very well if found guilt they should prosecute him

whose government will prosecute him?

The NPA said its investigation shows that Tier One Services Group, the firm Nigerian government claimed it wanted to procure the arms from, is not authorised to sell or rent military hardware.
“In court papers, the NPA submitted evidence that Tier One is not registered with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee and is thus not authorised to enter into any agreements regarding the sale and/or rental of military equipment,” the statement read.

Time UP For The Jonathan and Their Fraudulent Deals.

Well Done South Africa

Litmus: Do not be so stupid as to take the words of a foreign government over the words of your own government. In your place no South African would.

so even though our government is disgracing us in public,you still have this to say...our government nor sabi buy arms like other correct countries,must illegality dey inside?

If God doesn't want us to vote GEJ again,bigger fvck up still dey wait am for front.

kagari: When a wise man is surrounded with fool.s. It might directly or indirectly affect him

This my friend is a case of The king and his forty Fouls

mars123: so even though our government is disgracing us in public,you still have this to say...our government nor sabi buy arms like other correct countries,must illegality dey inside?

probably safer to accept the Nigerian government version of event than that of the South Africans. If we had good investigative journalist of Nigerian origin this would be better but since we don't and given the current insurgency in Nigeria and questions about their funding, i don't believe it is safe or wise to take the words of foreign governments over ours. Not at this time.

Litmus: Do not be so stupid as to take the words of a foreign government over the words of your own government. In your place no South African would.

Is that why a South African company should be mentioned as the company selling the arms even when that particular company has no licence to do such a thing? Is this the reason why this South African company issued invoice within a week $9.3m got to South Africa? Such a huge transaction concluded within a week? Is that a reason why the South African company issued its invoice in favour of another buyer from Cyprus? Do you not know that Cyprus is a well known country where slush funds get unquestionable residence?

Too many theories, claims and counter claims.

If they wanted to buy arms and helicopters, then they're definitely meant for our military but why was the deal concealed?

In a saner County. Jonadaft_ by now will be in prison

There is a chance the government side of this story is treu. Maybe there is a real plan to suffocate Nigerias chances of fighting off boko haram. If the government is sure of her story, and the south Africans really want to drag this, then it might be time to do the needfull about that their scam factory called MTN

owobokiri: There is a chance the government side of this story is treu. Maybe there is a real plan to suffocate Nigerias chances of fighting off boko haram. If the government is sure of her story, and the south Africans really want to drag this, then it might be time to do the needfull about that their scam factory called MTN

south african govt would not try nonsense with this huge amount of money belonging to FGN,they won't toy with our diplomatics relationship with them