Jonathan's Cousin Wife ARRESTED, Over Conspiracy On Stolen $40m Wired To London Bank

Mrs. Stella Azibaola, wife to President Goodluck Jonathan's cousin, Roberts Azibaola has been arrested yesterday night over conspiracy with husband to defraud the nation of an amount in the tune of $40 million, The Nation Newspaper reports this morning.

President Good Jonathan had also affirmed that he is under probe too bothering on some financial misappropriation allegation levelled against him

Mrs. Stella Azibaola was taken into custody last night to join her husband in preparation for their arraignment before a Federal High Court in Abuja

The couple will today be charged in Abuja court.

Azibaola, his wife Stella and their firm will be arraigned for alleged payment of $40million into their company, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, by the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA).

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed seven charges against the couple.

The Charges filed are as follows:

1. That you Azibaola Robert being the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer and a signatory to the Zenith Bank account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert, being a director and a signatory to the account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited and Amobi Ogum( now at large) on or about 8th September, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit an illegal act to wit: money laundering of the sum of $40million transferred to the domiciliary account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited with Zenith Bank, Account No. 5070365750 from the account of ONSA with the Central Bank of Nigeria upon a mandate  Ref. No. 128/S.5LX/139 purporting to be for the supply of Tactical Communication Kits for Special Services and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
2. That you, Azibaola Robert, Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert directly took control of $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million transferred to the domiciliary account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited with Zenith Bank, Account No. 5070365750 from the account of ONSA with the Central Bank of Nigeria upon a mandate  Ref. No. 128/S.5LX/139 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
3. That you Azibaola Robert and Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert on or about 8th September 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court directly converted $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million transferred to the domiciliary account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
4. That you Azibaola Robert and Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert did directly transfer $6,600,000 only  being part of the $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million to the bank account of Karahyna Nigeria Limited, a Bureau De Change company for Naira exchange, which you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
5. That you Azibaola Robert and Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert did directly transfer the aggregate sum of $1million only being part of the $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million to the bank account of Reya Telecommunications Nigeria Limited, a sister company to One Plud Holdings Nigeria Limited, which you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
6. That you Azibaola Robert and Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert did directly transfer the aggregate sum of $1,493,000 only being part of the sum of $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million to the bank account of Kakatar EL Limited, a sister to One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited which you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser ( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
7. That you Azibaola Robert , being the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited on or about 27th May, 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court having reason to know that the sum of N650million only directly represented the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) in respect of the said amount used the said fund for the purchase of Plot 2245, situate at Maitama Cadastral Zone No. A06 Measuring about 2,482, 28sqm with File No. KN 10182, Abuja from one Nu’uman Barau Danbatta represented by Tunji Adeniyi and Co.( Estate Surveyors and Valuers) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.”

The charges were filed by Sylvanus Tahir and Jirbo Francis from the Legal and Prosecution Department  of the EFCC.

The EFCC  has  traced the source of the  $40million to a bank in London.

The cash was wired through Citibank N. A. Canada Square Canary in Wharf London E 145 LB into the account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited.

The $40million came from the account of the Special Services Office of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

The Special Services Office has a joint account with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and some security agencies, which was managed by ONSA.

Credit: The Nation Newspaper

How $40m Transferred To Jonathan's Cousin For Phantom Contract

The Nation - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced the source of the $40million paid to Roberts Azibaola, who is former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, to a bank in London.

The cash was wired through Citibank N. A. Canada Square Canary in Wharf London E 145 LB into the account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited of Azibaola.

About $6million of the money was paid to a bureau de change in Abuja.

Azibaola, who was yet to make any refund, has been relocated from Lagos to Abuja in preparation for his trial.

Charges have been filed against the ex-President’s cousin at a Federal High Court in Abuja. No date has been fixed for his arraignment.

According to a document obtained by our correspondent, the $40million came from the account of the Special Services Office of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

“The Special Services Office has a joint account with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and some security agencies, which was managed by ONSA.

“The $40million was wired into the account of Azibaola’s company through Citibank N. A. Canada Square Canary in Wharf London E 145 LB.

“The money was transferred to One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited with Robert Azibaola and Stella Azibaola as directors. All disbursements went to individuals and companies including two foreign firms and the wife of the ex-President’s cousin. About $5.5million has been allegedly transferred to Mrs. Azibaola.

“The $40mmillion was in respect of a contract for the supply of Tactical Communication Kits for Special Forces. No records of contract executed.

“We wrote to the Office of the SGF and the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office (PSSO) said: “The SGF office is not in possession of any document or evidence of contract.

“Even the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said it had no records of the contract but it only made available payment advice to transfer the funds to the Azibaola’s account.

A source close to the investigation said: “We have to release the outcome of investigations to show that the EFCC is not engaging in any witch-hunt against the cousin of the ex-President.

“Although the contract was for the supply of Tactical Communication kits, when we interrogated the cousin of the ex-President, he said ‘they had a discussion with the ex-NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to secure pipelines in the Niger Delta but there is no evidence to show for it.

“If there was any contract, how come $6million was remitted into the account of a bureau de change? None of the suspects was able to explain the reason for this.

Responding to a question, the source added: “Robert Azibaola has not refunded the $40million or a part of it. He has been relocated from Lagos to Abuja in readiness for his arraignment in court. He has behaved well in detention.

The EFCC arrested Azibaola’s on March 23 – in line with the ongoing probe of 300 companies involved in phantom contracts by ONSA.

But counsel to the suspect, Gordy Uche (SAN) in a statement in Abuja accused the Commission of embarking on a vendetta mission against former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said the Federal Government was still owing his client $4million, being balance of the contract sum for “successfully securing oil pipelines which saw Nigeria reap billions of US dollars from increased oil production”.

He asked the commission to “either charge my clients to court or release them on bail”.

Uche said: “My client (Roberts) is being persecuted and punished because of his DNA, as a relative of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“My client  is innocent until proven guilty, according to the laws of Nigeria. So, his continuous detention is a breach of his fundamental human rights as a free citizen of Nigeria. The appropriate thing for the EFCC to do in this circumstance is to release him now or charge him to court.”