Contrary to belief that two Nigerians and
an Israeli are being held in South Africa
for smuggling $9.3 million cash into that
country, no one is being detained over the
matter, the South African Police service
has told PREMIUM TIMES.
There had been widespread reports that
two Nigerians and an Israeli national were
arrested and detained in South Africa
after they attempted to smuggle into that
country US$9.3 million apparently meant
for buying arms for the Nigerian
intelligence service.
The men landed at Lanseria International
Airport, Johannesburg, on September 5 in
a private jet owned by the President of the
Christian Association of Nigeria,
Oritsejafor, with the money stashed in
three suitcases.
At the time, the South Africa Revenue
Service, SARS, said customs officers
became suspicious when the passengers’
luggage were unloaded and put through
the scanners.
The National Prosecuting Authority, NPA,
in South Africa said there was an invoice
for helicopters and armaments intended
to be used in Nigeria.
Two black plastic suitcases, filled with 90
blocks each containing US$100,000 in
notes, with combination locks, were
seized, as well as two pieces of hand
luggage also containing US currency,
according to City Press.
The Israeli national, Eyal Mesika, had the
combination to open the locks.
Under South African laws, a person
entering or leaving the country is expected
to carry cash not exceeding US$2,300, or
the equivalent in foreign currency notes.
The identities of the Nigerians on the
plane remained unknown and most
Nigerians believe they and the Israeli
were still being held as investigation
continues.
But responding to PREMIUM TIMES
enquiry, Paul Ramaloko, the
spokesperson of the country’s police
service, said no arrest was made after the
arms money was intercepted and
confiscated.
“No one was arrested on this day,” Mr.
Ramaloko, a captain in the South African
Police, told this newspaper. “We only
seized the money.”
The police spokesperson however
wouldn’t divulge the names of the other
passengers on the plane.
“We can only name people who are
criminally charged,” he said. “In this
matter, no one has been charged. We are
only talking about one person who
checked in the luggage.
“The other people were allowed to go
soon as they were cleared.”
When asked whether the person who
checked in the luggage was the Israeli who
had the combination to open the locks of
the suitcases containing the U.S. currency,
Mr. Ramaloko said he was not sure.
On the progress of investigation into the
matter, the police service’s spokesperson
said, “The investigation is continuing.
We will be guided by the outcomes on the
investigation if anyone should be held
criminally accountable.”
The South African authorities have since
confiscated yet another US$5.7 million
arms money from Nigeria.
As with the first deal, South Africa’s Asset
Forfeiture Unit of the National
Prosecuting Authority has seized the
funds for allegedly being the proceeds of
illegal transactions, reports say.
The second transaction was between
Cerberus Risk Solutions, an arms broker
in Cape Town, and Societe D’Equipments
Internationaux, said to be a Nigerian
company based in Abuja.
The deal, according to reports by South
African City Press newspaper, fell apart
after Cerberus which had earlier received
from Nigeria R60 million (N1.02 billion)
in its account at Standard Bank, tried to
repay the money as it could not resolve its
registration formalities with the South
African authorities.
“Cerberus was previously registered as a
broker with the National Conventional
Arms Control Committee (NCACC), but
the registration expired in May this year,”
City Press said.
“The marketing and contracting permits
also expired at the same time. The
company has since applied for re-
registration, but the application lay in the
NCACC’s mailbox for more than two
months.
“Sources told Rapport that Cerberus
apparently tried to pay the money back to
the Nigerian company, after which the
bank became suspicious,” the paper
reported.
The paper added that while the NPA’s
Asset Forfeiture Unit subsequently
obtained a court order in the South
Gauteng High Court to seize the money,
the NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube,
said there were no indications the two
transactions were related.
The Nigerian government has since
claimed ownership of the seized funds,
denying the deal was unlawful and
warning South Africa of its investment in
Nigeria.
In a terse reaction to what appears a
potential diplomatic spat between the two
countries, the Nigerian government
denied the second transaction was illegal
and reminded South Africa of how Nigeria
has provided a beneficial environment for
South African companies like MTN, DSTV
and a host of others to do business
unhindered.
“It is our hope that South Africa would
reciprocate this noble gesture,” the
National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki,
said, with a vow to eradicate Boko Haram
regardless of the antics of “fifth
columnists”.
Mr. Dasuki, named by the South African
newspaper as the official who signed off
the first controversial deal, confirmed the
second transaction occurred as reported
but firmly denied it was conducted
illegally.
“We want to state clearly that a business
transaction actually took place between a
legitimate company in Nigeria and
another legitimate one in South Africa
through the bank,” said Mr. Dasuki
through a spokesperson, Karounwi
Adekunle.
“In the course of events, the South African
company could not perform and decided
to refund the money. What is illegitimate
in this transaction done through the
bank?” he queried.
Source
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/169452-exclusive-no-nigerian-detained-in-south-africa-over-seized-9-3million-arms-money.html