[size=14pt]Code of Conduct Bureau vs Tinubu: US, UK banks release accounts details •Ex-gov may be declared wanted •He lied on oath -Bureau •SRLN, US group react [/size]
Written by Lanre Adewole, Abuja
Sunday, 11 September 2011

Pieces of evidence needed by the Federal Government to prosecute the alleged illegal operation of foreign accounts by the former Lagos State governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have been reportedly released by the banks where the 16 accounts are said to be domiciled in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA).

The charge filed against him by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice would be prosecuted by the Code of Conduct Bureau which is directly under the Presidency and empowered under the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) to prosecute public officers who run afoul of the assets declaration law.

The 1999 Constitution forbids public office holders from operating foreign accounts while in office, while those they have in operation before assumption of office are to be closed for the duration of the tenure of office.

Code of Conduct Bureau, while charging Tinubu before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, claimed that Tinubu operated and maintained 16 foreign accounts in the USA and UK while in office between 1999 and 2007 and lied on oath while filling the mandatory asset declaration form for public officers before being sworn-in into office, by not disclosing the said accounts in his forms.

Operation of foreign accounts by public officials was banned by the law to forestall money laundering, though the chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Sam Saba, had disclosed a new discovery which showed that public officials now open foreign accounts in the names of their family members and relatives and use left hands to sign, in order to disguise the real identity of the owners.

Some of the foreign accounts allegedly traced to Tinubu by the bureau are in the names of his wife and children.

All the accounts in his wife and children names, according to the charge, are domiciled in the UK, while all the USA accounts bears his name as well as a few ones in the UK.

A source within the system noted that the proof of evidence against him had been packaged, following the release of evidential documents from the banks, which reportedly revealed dates of transactions that fell within his time in office, as well as the movement of monies in and out of the accounts.

Nigeria has a working understanding with both the USA and UK on the issue of money laundering.

A number of witnesses were also said to have been lined up, with the source refusing to disclose their identities for security reasons.

The source added that the new proof of evidence was more loaded than the previous one attached to the charge brought against him in 2007, noting that the amended charge was made to include allegation of maintaining the accounts while in office, in order to pre-empt him from using the excuse that he had been operating them before becoming governor.

It was also gathered that the excuse that the accounts pre-dated his coming to office would not avail him, because he did not list them in his asset declaration form.

Unlike the usual practice of lawyers from the office of the AGF prosecuting, it was learnt that an experienced Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) had been hired by the prosecution to lead the legal team.

The proof of evidence had been previously filed before the tribunal by the bureau with a source revealing that a more detailed proof of evidence might be added to the case this week.

It was also gathered that the former governor might be declared wanted if he failed to heed the summons of the tribunal, with a source saying that he might not show up on the trial date and bring preliminary objection.

“Just like they did in (Nuhu) Ribadu’s case and shielded him from appearing before the tribunal until they applied the political solution and those who did that are very much around this person too, but we are waiting,” said the source.

The source added that in the likely scenario that he brought a preliminary objection, his application would be treated first by the tribunal before the consideration for a bench warrant, if he still failed to appear in an event of his objection not succeeding.

Issuance of a fresh summons by the tribunal was confirmed by the Sunday Tribune source, who explained that the case was taken to be fresh because of the amendment to the charge and re-packaged proof of evidence, despite that it was initiated in 2007, which informed the decision of the tribunal to serve a fresh summons on him for appearance on the trial date.

The tribunal, on Friday, disclosed that it had fixed the commencement of the trial for September 21, in Abuja.

A statement signed by Special Adviser/Director, Abdulazeez Moh. Badisha, on behalf of the tribunal’s chairman, claimed that Tinubu contravened Section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap 56 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 (As Amended), which is punishable under Section 23 (2) thereof as incorporated under Paragraph 18, Part 1, Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.

Some of the banks in the USA mentioned in the charge as holding Tinubu’s alleged illegal accounts are; First Heritage Bank, Country Club Hills, Citibank NA New York, where he allegedly kept six accounts both in his name and that of Compass Finance and Investment Company Ltd;  and Citibank International New York, where he allegedly kept two accounts.

In the UK, HSBC of 177 Great Portland Street, London, WIW 6QJ, is listed as his only bank of choice, with seven different accounts listed against his name, his wife’s and children’s, with Shade Oluremi Tinubu reportedly holding three different accounts; Bola, two; and his kids, one each.

The bureau claimed in a seven-paragraph affidavit supporting the charge, deposed to by Ikechi Iwuagwu, a deputy director, that “on 4th of March, 2003, before the expiration of the first term in office of Governor Bola Tinubu, an asset declaration form CCB-1 was sent to the accused person as a public officer. The accused person declared his assets and liabilities in the said form and returned the form to our office on 6th January, 2004. A copy of the said form is hereby attached and marked as Exhibit “A.”All the assets declared by the accused person are as indicated in the assets declaration from CCB-1. The accused person did not declare any other things/assets or the operation of several foreign bank accounts in the said assets declaration form CCB-1 submitted by the accused person marked as Exhibit A. I was informed by Mr. O. T. Olatigbe, counsel handling this matter, and I verily believe him that the accused person is still operating several foreign bank accounts which he did not declare before the Code of Conduct Bureau.”

The accounts, as listed in the charge, with the account names, numbers and sort codes, are as follows:

. . .

Reactions

Meanwhile, an Abuja based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN), has hailed the Code of Conduct Tribunal over the planned commencement of the criminal trial of Tinubu.

The group described the trial already scheduled to begin on September 21 as a welcome development, adding that; “Nigerians, irrespective of their political affiliations, must begin to speak with one voice against corruption, because it (corruption) has no political party.”

The SRLN said in a statement issued on Saturday by its Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku, that with the impending trial of Tinubu, those thinking that they were sacred cows ought to begin to have a rethink.

The group also urged the Federal Government to prosecute Tinubu for alleged perjury, saying; “he lied on oath by refusing to declare the operation of many foreign bank accounts in the assets declaration form CCB-1 he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau on 6th January, 2004.

“This is a kind of news that gladdens our hearts and we hope that the Code of Conduct Tribunal will pursue the case to a logical conclusion.

“We are also waiting to hear from those bread and butter groups to make the kind of noise that they used to make whenever a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member is on trial for alleged corruption.

“We want to read editorials in the newspapers against Tinubu as it was done against people like Chief Bode George; former Speaker, Dimeji Bankole; former Delta State governor, Chies James Ibori; among others,” the group said.

While calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to also clear the air on the allegations of corruption against Tinubu, which its former chairman, Ribadu, said the commission investigated and that it had ‘international dimension.’

SRLN asked; “has the international dimension of the case ended with Tinubu and Ribadu holding hands at campaign rallies?”

In a similar vein, the Justice For All Nations (JFAN), a US-based NGO, called for the trial of Tinubu for perjury, just as it commended the will to start his trial for illegal operation of foreign accounts.

The group noted that since Tinubu lied on oath to the Code of Conduct Bureau on the accounts, he ought to face the music separately.

“Most importantly too, the EFCC must tell Nigerians what has happened to the case against Tinubu, which its former chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said had international dimension,” the group said.

In the statement signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Dada Popoola, the group charged President Goodluck Jonathan to demonstrate to Nigerians that he had the will to tackle corruption, saying, “we are happy that the Code of Conduct Tribunal has woken up to its responsibilities and we urge that this case be diligently prosecuted.

“It is also hoped that the EFCC will tell Nigerians where Tinubu’s corruption case files are being kept.

“At least, we are aware that Ribadu said publicly that ‘Tinubu’s corruption has international dimension and there is no time for the EFCC to tell Nigerians what has happened to that corruption case and its international dimension.

“Tinubu should also be made to face criminal charge for perjury because he lied on oath by refusing to declare the operation of several foreign bank accounts in the assets declaration form CCB-1 he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau on 6th January, 2004.”


http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/front-page-articles/5040-code-of-conduct-bureau-vs-tinubu-us-uk-banks-release-accounts-details-ex-gov-may-be-declared-wanted-he-lied-on-oath-bureau-srln-us-group-react

Obituary.

@Beaf, assuming that Tinubu is found guilty of operating those accounts while in office, what exact is the maximum jail term he would face. I suspect no jail term will be involved - is this just an attempt to prevent Tinubu from contesting as a Pres or VP in 2015? Methinks if Tinubu is not charged and convicted of a more serious crime, then this is a political witch hunt.

Haba after years of threatening this man, can't they find more serious crimes to charge him? EFCC and the code of conduct bureau must either be run by incompetent fools or these wild accusations against Tinubu have no validity or merit.

I wish as tinubu is found guity, Gej and others will also be impilcated and arrested by world crime court

ndu_chucks:

@Beaf, assuming that Tinubu is found guilty of operating those accounts while in office, what exact is the maximum jail term he would face. I suspect no jail term will be involved - is this just an attempt to prevent Tinubu from contesting as a Pres or VP in 2015? Methinks if Tinubu is not charged and convicted of a more serious crime, then this is a political witch hunt.

Haba after years of threatening this man, can't they find more serious crimes to charge him?  EFCC and the code of conduct bureau must either be run by incompetent fools or these wild accusations against Tinubu have no validity or merit.

There is no jail term for maintaining foreign accounts. But he will almost certainly be banned from public office for the next ten years.

Its the domino effect of this trial that matters, like I said elsewhere yesterday, its the opening of Pandora's box. Already, we have perjury being attached, which is jailable and easily provable. Then we have the fact that EFCC eys will begin prying deep into Lagos states affairs (Ikuforiji will sing a horrible song in vengeance). At the very least, he will become a political has-been with investigators forever snapping at his heels at every turn, however it is very very hard indeed to see Tinubu escaping jail time.

No matter what happens, this promises to be very interesting. It will be very heartening to see a Nigeria where the information filled in Assets Declaration forms matter, in terms of content and happenings (networth of the officers) after leaving office.

With this expectation alone, there's hardly any political office holder that is immuned. The CCB must go the whole hog to turn this form into a cleansing crusade. Anything short of this will smell of political persecution which would be unfortunate.

Isn't Ibori on trial for money laundering?

Somehow I dont think clean funds went through those accounts.

Hopefully he'll be extradited to face the music.

If feels like fire is on the mountain or just another selective :scapegoating:?Maybe Gej could be redeemable after all,we can forgive him his iniquities and grant him immunity for life on one condition that he turns a new leaf and brings the obvious nigerian official monumental thieves stringently to book retrospectively. There could be a revolution in nigeria without too much bloodshed. Just a thought.

Beaf:


Its the domino effect of this trial that matters, like I said elsewhere yesterday, its the opening of Pandora's box.

Pandora ko, Glendora ni ! Rubbish. You are just a pathetic fellow. Instead of contributing to serious issues as it affects governance, you are busy taking Panadol Extra on another man's headache.

Tinubu is the most villified man in our polity today, so what's new? Abeg go get another job!

stormm:

Pandora ko, Glendora ni ! Rubbish. You are just a pathetic fellow. Instead of contributing to serious issues as it affects governance, you are busy taking Panadol Extra on another man's headache.

[s]Tinubu is the most villified man in our polity today[/s], so what's new? Abeg go get another job!

Tinubu is a thief that is getting his due. I can help you cry if you like, so long as punishment is levied on asiwaju.

I dont know how true the allegations are. . . . but if tangible evdence are presented, then I see no reason to not give his prosecutors the benefit of doubt.

By force by fire, we must clean up this nation.

All allegations against:

1. Patience Goodluck
2. Tinubu
3. OBJ
4. Ngozi iweala
5. etc

must be thoroughly investigated

@ Beaf
¶3. (S/NF) As a group, the Dream Team are true believers.
, Isolated from Nigerian reality, they sometimes
issue directives without follow-through, Their decision-making can be characterized at times as amateurish, with policy prescriptions borrowed from
whatever catches their attention at a given moment.

Cable Viewer
wikileaks.org

The core of that 'Dream Team' is what your retardeen is busy celebrating!

If you are so jobless, contact OGD, he may have something for you.

As long as we also investigate arrest and jail GEJ ( after immunity removal)

Patience

OBJ

IBB

Danjuma

Buhari

Anenih

Odili

Bankole

Gbenga Daniel

Chris Uba

David Mark

E.T.C all based on allegations against them, then this is will not solve anything major. All these criminal looters need to be punished. I hope Tinubu goes to jail and gets stripped of his money if found guilty. Same for the rest of them.

May they all Witchhunt themselves to death!

stormm:

@ Beaf
¶3. (S/NF) As a group, the Dream Team are true believers.
, Isolated from Nigerian reality, they sometimes
issue directives without follow-through, Their decision-making can be characterized at times as amateurish, with policy prescriptions borrowed from
whatever catches their attention at a given moment.

Cable Viewer
wikileaks.org

The core of that 'Dream Team' is what your retardeen is busy celebrating!

If you are so jobless, contact OGD, he may have something for you.

You aint making sense bro. Is this your defence for Tinibu's wanton stealing, drug pushing and fraud?

I can't fit laff.

Tinubu na thief. Agreed. No news. But news b say thi dey set up another thief. GEJ dey use instrument of state to harass Tinubu.

I'm I defending Tinubu's monumental avarice? Tufiakwa, NO! My interest is on GEJ coming to alter of equity against Tinubu wt heavily soiled hands. Isn't same GEJ equally guilty of leaving out some of his belongings from d asset declaration forms he filled and signed? Abegiii, !

BTW, wey Bankole sef upon all d gra gra wey EFCC?


Addendum: Beaf is really getting more and more retarded day by day wt his boy-boy GEJ sycophancy.

homerac7:



I can't fit laff.

Tinubu na thief. Agreed. No news. But news b say thi dey set up another thief. GEJ dey use instrument of state to harass Tinubu.

I'm I defending Tinubu's monumental avarice? Tufiakwa, NO! My interest is on GEJ coming to alter of equity against Tinubu wt heavily soiled hands. Isn't same GEJ equally guilty of leaving out some of his belongings from d asset declaration forms he filled and signed? Abegiii, !

BTW, wey Bankole sef upon all d gra gra wey EFCC?


Addendum: Beaf is really getting more and more slow day by day wt his boy-boy GEJ sycophancy.

Of course, you are getting faster with your lying and foolishness. No so?

@Beaf
Defend Tinubu? No!

My point is your rather uncharitable and pathetic whining when the issue is Tinubu, Aregbesola and other ACN cheiftains. You seem to derive some sinister pleasure,  your keyboard runs berserk.

When you come to equity, don't carry baggages my friend.

stormm:

@Beaf
Defend Tinubu? No!

My point is your rather uncharitable and pathetic whining when the issue is Tinubu, Aregbesola and other ACN cheiftains. You seem to derive some sinister pleasure,  your keyboard runs berserk.

When you come to equity, don't carry baggages my friend.

Lol!

So belonging in ACN stops him from being a thief, fraud and drug pusher. Na wa o!
The phucker is going to jail. Live with it.

Beaf:

Lol!

So belonging in ACN stops him from being a thief, fraud and drug pusher. Na wa o!
The phucker is going to jail. Live with it.

Guess you are still in denial, right? Why is it that when the issue is about Tinubu, you bark like a dog on heat?

stormm:


Guess you are still in denial, right? Why is it that when the issue is about Tinubu, you bark like a dog on heat?

I hate fraudsters, drug pushers and thieves, how's that for a reason?

stormm:

@Beaf
Defend Tinubu? No!

My point is your rather uncharitable and pathetic whining when the issue is Tinubu, Aregbesola and other ACN cheiftains. You seem to derive some sinister pleasure,  your keyboard runs berserk.

When you come to equity, don't carry baggages my friend.

Indeed . That is the crux of the matter. It is highly farcical and an indicator of the loss of a National moral compass when we can celebrate how a Government , from day one, built one a bed-rock of corruption, is now pretending to be fighting corruption !! Should we even begin to list what GEJ has done to get where he is today to include assisting a murder suspect gain expedited acquital ?

How about the mountain high piles of cash disbursed to make project GEJ possible?  Should we even bother to look at how many devils Mr. President dined with and continues to dine with and empower today ? We are not serious in Nigeria and I level that firmly at the followers who continue to gullibly swallow 18th century-like deception perpetrated , back then, against stark illiterates.

Beaf:

I hate fraudsters, drug pushers and thieves, how's that for a reason?

So you hate Kashamu, GEJ, OBJ, Umoru, Dora, your super star- Okonjo-Iweala, Bode George, OGD, the nest of killers, drug pushers, thieves?

At least by your confession

@ Beaf,

Foool, show me d lie wey I tell u. Ode like u wey come online thinking say na everybody b ur mugu wey u fit use gra gra twist matter for dem eye. Olodo rabata! U r just damn predictable. When wikileak expose ur principal last week, y u no shout am too? Mumu category one.

stormm:

So you hate Kashamu, GEJ, OBJ, Umoru, Dora, your super star- Okonjo-Iweala, Bode George, OGD, the nest of killers, drug pushers, thieves?

At least by your confession

You forget Tony Anenih, Oyinlola, Alao-Akala, Oni, Aliero, Haliru Bello, Odili, Imoke (NIPP), Sylva, theodore Orji, Ruma, Uduaghan, Lucky Igbinedion et al . Beaf is eternally discredited on Nairaland as a bigot and paid hack . Him and his co-travellers hounded Aregbesola over the minimum wage issues , as if the Osun Governor is the worst in the land, only for me to show that many PDP Governors have not paid with some even telling GEJ blatantly , and with 'padi-padi' impunity, that they will not pay until the FG increased the allocations to their State. Not a single comment from Beaf and his amigos about that . Effing hypocritical bigots always on the case of ACN/Yoruba administrators.

homerac7:

@ Beaf,

Foool, show me d lie wey I tell u. Ode like u wey come online thinking say na everybody b your mugu wey u fit use gra gra twist matter for dem eye. Olodo rabata! U r just damn predictable. When wikileak expose your principal last week, y u no shout am too? Mumu category one.

Seriously, dude, you sound like an area boy.
It must be really painful when your lord is arraigned for his obvious crimes, its making you lose all decorum and shame.

Tinubu is headed for jail. The US and UK banks have already released his account details. Lol, more will follow.

Gbawe:

You forget Tony Anenih, Oyinlola, Alao-Akala, Oni, Aliero, Haliru Bello, Odili, Imoke (NIPP), Sylva, theodore Orji, Ruma, Uduaghan, Lucky Igbinedion et al . Beaf is eternally discredited on Nairaland as a bigot and paid hack . Him and his co-travellers hounded Aregbesola over the minimum wage issues , as if the Osun Governor is the worst in the land, only for me to show that many PDP Governors have not paid with some even telling GEJ blatantly , and with 'padi-padi' impunity, that they will not pay until the FG increased the allocations to their State. Not a single comment from Beaf and his amigos about that . [size=14pt]Effing hypocritical bigots always on the case of ACN/Yoruba administrators[/size].

So being a Yoruba/ACN person should exclude Tinubu from trial?
Damn! How shallow is that? We hear new low's everyday, and people wonder who the real enemies of the country are?

A thief is a thief and Tinubu is a thief.

--Beaf bows head, weeps bitterly for Gbawe--

^

Foool, b reasonable. Tinubu is just one of many other people dt hav earned to go to jail. Hypocrisy is a terrible disease eating ur brain up.

homerac7:

^

Foool, b reasonable. Tinubu is just one of many other people dt hav earned to go to jail. Hypocrisy is a terrible disease eating your brain up.

Every process has a beginning and this one started with Ibori and Bankole, now it is Tinubu's turn. If you don't like it, hang yourself, rope is cheap.

Beaf:

Every process has a beginning and this one started with Ibori and Bankole, now it is Tinubu's turn. If you don't like it, hang yourself, rope is cheap.

So when is Umblellar's turn? Or madam was not caught with her fingers in the cookie jar? Let's even go back to your GEJ's asset declaration form. It it from his salary as a teacher or the the 4 years he spent as Deputy/Governor that he was able to accumulate close to N500m in assets when he was sworn in with UYA?

Beaf, my point is not about Tinubu but the entire rotten system, that made OBJ a billionaire within 8 yrs from near bankruptcy in 1999.

Beaf:

Every process has a beginning and this one started with Ibori and Bankole, now it is Tinubu's turn. If you don't like it, hang yourself, rope is cheap.

I agree.

Ileke-IdI:

I dont know how true the allegations are. . . . but if tangible evdence are presented, then I see no reason to not give his prosecutors the benefit of doubt.

By force by fire, we must clean up this nation.

All allegations against:

1. Patience Goodluck
2. Tinubu
3. OBJ
4. Ngozi iweala
5. etc

must be thoroughly investigated

Seconded!

okada_man:

As long as we also investigate arrest and jail GEJ ( after immunity removal)

Patience

OBJ

IBB

Danjuma

Buhari

Anenih

Odili

Bankole

Gbenga Daniel

Chris Uba

David Mark

E.T.C all based on allegations against them, then this is will not solve anything major. All these criminal looters need to be punished. I hope Tinubu goes to jail and gets stripped of his money if found guilty. Same for the rest of them.

May they all Witchhunt themselves to death!

Without wasting any seconds. Let the probes and investigations begin!

I think he is never much different from his colleagues in the PDP. He just happens to be a snake in a different colour.

^

A green snake in a ACN green grass