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.
“… Although various explanations about the money were given to the investigating officer, these explanations were flawed and riddled with discrepancies,” the South African prosecution agency said in a statement sent to this newspaper.
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.
https://m.premiumtimesng.com/headlines/168306-seized-9-3-million-nigerian-governments-explanations-flawed-south-africa.html

Pastor Ayo go suffer with nairalanders soon.

EDITED:
well yeah I am FTC. I thought Seun will drop something in my bank acct. But no, I saw nothing.
I thought my worries will disappear. But no, am still owing Mr. Okon his money and that lady still turned down my hand of friendship. Soooo.....
pls, can someone tell me the benefit of rushing to be FTC? Am

Mods, pls if there's non, move my post 2 d last page and close thread: I wanna be LTC.

Nigeria can lie

Abeg i don tire to d hit FP dis morning. Mek i sleep small joor

Serious

Obviously....


The Nigerian government wanted some cache of weapons in South Africa and so they borrowed Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor's private jet. Probably because the giant of Africa could not find a befitting aircraft amongst her fleets of military planes to transport the intended weapons for them, not even among the 10 private jets in President's fleet. It is Ayo Oritsejafor's jet that was the best.
Meanwhile, Ayo Oritsejafor did not know that the government intended to use his jet to buy weapons. He leased his jet to a 2nd person ( Eagle Air) and the 2nd person leased to the 3rd (Green Coast Produce) and then the 3rd to the 4th (One Mr John Ishyaku) or so (who happens to be an agent of the government wit one person and an Israeli with 9.3 million dollars).
Sorry, I get it, the Israeli told our government that they should rather buy weapons from South-Africa instead of his country, Israel, because it is better for SA to take the money than Israel who supposedly makes better weapons. Wow! wat a nyc man nd very generous of the Israeli. So Israelis buy weapons for us. Military experts from our country did not have to follow to inspect the weapons and the inventory. Beautiful!
Also, the South African government was unaware that the Nigerian government was coming to buy weapons in their country. In their shock, they seized the jet and the money. Well, buying arms is more or less like buying noodles. It is not a serious thing and so any government can walk into another country without informing the host country that they intend buying weapons in their country. So foreign government just walk into another country like that, buy weapons and then off they go. Wondaful!
Una do well! Moreover, tot d man said dey bought him d jet to ease his duty and support his ministry. is he nw using d jet as Kabu Kabu ni? is d money coming frm d Kabu kabu goin bak into d ministry or personal pocket?
Shebi, Any transaction btw two countries are bn done by d Central Banks? Morever, I tot d F.G now insist on Cashless Banking or it is not effective to d Ogas at d top? Moreso, where is such huge money comin frm b4 getting into d suit cases?
Many Questions dat requires unlimited ansas...


it all looks fishy aint it?

[quote author=searay][/quote]

Hoe can i help you

Government only cooking lies to cover up some flaws,imagine..... Nigerian government stand not acceptable to the SA

na wa ooo

m.mmm.

Only in Nigeria
Only God knows what the cash was truly meant for.

sighs... SA make una release our money!!!

Hmmmmmmm n xoo God help ussss Amen

justi4jesu:

Hoe can i help you

seriously

of course!
After all, Jacob is not as Stúpid as Jona.

sammieguze: Obviously

how do you mean? It was stated vividly that Nigeria Government have submitted all th necessary documents and receipts to prove the legitimacy of the deal. I wonder y some persons wants to take this issue personal

That's a gigantic amount of money to launder. Our graduates are roaming the streets looking for job, and poverty is on a geometric increase. May God help this country!!

so SA don get liver to freeze naija moni baa. Hey make una remmember how much mtn dey make ooo.

searay: seriously

Like seriously ain't you supposed to be sleeping.

Booked space, back to bed... *singing 'bling-bling' by Cash Money Millionaires*

Story for the gods..... Let me go back to sleep jare....

Lol.... U re so funny

whats personal in my not finding the Nigerian government explanation plausible



It just shows am not convinced.

Now, how is that your headache? Or how does that sound personal?

Btw, even if i take it personal, i don't see anything wrong in that coz it is a personal issue as long as i pay my tax which i do.

ochilikoko: how do you mean? It was stated vividly that Nigeria Government have submitted all th necessary documents and receipts to prove the legitimacy of the deal. I wonder y some persons wants to take this issue personal

donpata: Pastor Ayo go suffer with nairalanders soon.

yes. After people would be wondering why Linda is richer than seun. @least,linda doesn't let hate foster in her site. Nairalnaders are filled with bitter,vile sociopaths

All this is becoming too funny and shameful to comprehend. What a fall!...Nigeria see thy self in the hands of rival SA. what a laughing stuck they've made us. N.delta guys will not stop to amaze me.

Na wa oh. Nigeria sef

South africa should release our money now!! Abi dem get watin dem 1 use take do? See finish.. Mtcheeeeee

Nigerians, fooling themselves since independent

I have never for once trusted all Nigerians JET Pastors.

Of course it isn't acceptable. There's a clear case of cover-up by the Nigerian govt, not for itself but for the friends of Jonathan who are clearly involved in international criminality.