EXPOSED: Saraki Received Monthly Salary From Kwara For 4 Years After Leaving Office As Governor - EFCC

Senate President Bukola Saraki was receiving monthly salaries from the Kwara state government even after he became a senator, Michael Wetkas, a detective of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said.

While giving his testimony at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Wednesday, Wetkas claimed that Saraki was receiving monthly salaries from June 2011, when he left office as governor of Kwara state, to August 2015 while he was a senator.

“In the course of our investigation, we wrote to Access Bank for them to give us details of the salary account of the defendant. The salary that was coming into the account was N254, 212 as of 1 August 2007.

“As of June 3, 2011, the salary was N291, 124. On July 4, there was another payment with the narration Kwara State Government (KSG) June 2011 salary. The amount was N572, 286.

“On August 29, 2011, there was another payment in the sum of N744, 002 from the Kwara state government.

“On September 29, 2011 there was another payment of N743, 942 with the narration salary payment from KSG.

“On October 27, 2011, there was another payment of N1, 165, 468 for salary.

“In November 2011, there was payment of the same amount. The narration was December pension.

“On February 1, 2012, there was payment of the same amount with the narration for pension.

“The salary payments stopped in this account on August 31, 2015. The defendant left office on May 29, 2011, he became senator in the same year.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Wetkas had detailed how Saraki allegedly used fictitious names to launder billions of naira.

Testifying against the senate president at the CCT, the EFCC detective said, among many other revelations, that Abdul Adama, one of Saraki’s personal assistants, made transaction 50 times into the former governor’s account in a single day, broken down to N600,000 and N900,000 on each occasion.

He added that “after that, one Ubi made a lodgment on the same day about 20 times in the same range of N600,000 and N900,000.”

On Wednesday, Wetkas also alleged that the senate president made corruptly obtained cash deposits of $10,000 18 times in one day, into his account with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).

Dasukigate: How Badeh Diverted N3.7b For Own Use; Police Ambusg Metuh In Court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continued its evidence against former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh, with revelations of how he allegedly authorised transfer of funds which were later diverted for his personal use.

This was the testimony of former director of finance of Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Abdullahi Yushau,  yesterday, during a cross-examination by Badeh’s lawyer.

Yushau told the Court that “no money goes out of the accounts of Nigerian Airforce without the authorisation of the Chief of Air Staff.

“When documents of transactions are sent to the Chief of Air Staff, he usually authorised them.”

He further told the court that “the balance of the salaries and allowances of personnel of the Nigerian Air force was used for the servicing of the office of the Chief of Air Staff.”

The retired director of finance had earlier told the court that money meant for personnel allowances and salaries were converted into dollars and he, personally, delivered the money to Badeh in his then official residence inside Niger Barracks.

“What is remaining is about N1.6billion or  N1.7billion, out of which, the sum of N558,200,000 was taken to Badeh’s official residence at the Niger barracks in Abuja.”

The witness also said the N558,200,000 was under the “control of Badeh, which he  gave approval for it to be exchanged into US dollars and taken to his official residence.”

Meanwhile, Justice Okon Abang adjourned the matter till April 8 for cross-examination of witness.

Police ambush Metuh in Court

Drama, however, trailed hearing of Chief Olisa Metuh’s suit. Apparently acting in anticipation that Justice Abang would disqualify himself from Metuh’s trial, having alleged, last week, that he and the judge were former classmates, armed policemen laid ambush at the court.

Subsequently, Metuh asked the judge to disqualify himself from the suit.

Had the judge done so, Metuh would have become vulnerable for arrest to be charged before another judge. But, that was not to be as the court, after listening to submissions from counsels to both parties on Metuh’s application praying  the Judge to disqualify himself, ruling was reserved till April 8. After the matter was adjourned, the policemen dispersed from the complex of the court.

Metuh had also filed an application for stay of proceedings pending the decision of the Court of Appeal.

He had, on March 16, through one of his Counsels, Emeka Etiaba (SAN), petitioned the Honourable Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, urging him to transfer the case to another Judge for fear that he might not get justice from Justice Abang’s Court.

In a related development, Borno Elders’ Forum (BEF), in statement, opined that those who benefited from the “sharing” of money meant for arms purchase, to fight insurgency in the North-East, are forces behind Boko Haram.

Spokesperson of the forum, Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari, yesterday, said since the Boko Haram uprising from 2009 to date, they have been speaking out at every critical stage of the crisis, and ways of addressing very critical security and social issues.

In a signed statement the group said: “The people who sponsored Boko Haram or those who deliberately turned away from their official responsibilities on security issues, or those who looted the funds meant for the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram, and those who spoke or continue to speak in their favour are all one and the same.

“They all, individually and collectively aided and sponsored the Boko Haram insurgency. They colluded to ensure the death of our brave soldiers, innocent people and the near total destruction of our society. “Nigerians should stand by us and collectively assist to bring those responsible to book.

“It does not speak well of any Nigerian, for whatever reason, to fight or criticize the President of Nigeria or calling our anti–corruption agencies names, when they simply want to make offenders pay for the crimes most of them had confessed to have committed”.

“Much has been said about sponsors of Boko Haram.

“With the horrifying revelations about the ‘Arms Deal’, it is no longer necessary to continue delaying the search for the real sponsors of Boko Haram.”

Source: The Sun Newspaper

FG Recovers 13 Ex-Govs, Ministers' $200b Loot, Properties In Dubai

President Muhammadu Buhari

All seems set for the repatriation of over $200billion stashed away by some former governors, ex-ministers and other public officers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Nation learnt yesterday.

Some mansions belonging to some former Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and their cronies or fronts may also be seized, a source said.

Under the searchlight for stashing away cash or acquiring properties in the UAE are seven former governors, six former ministers, a fleeing presidential aide implicated in the $2.1billion arms deals, ex-military chiefs under probe, agents / fronts of some of these public officers and five chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

A Federal Government team, comprising the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu and crack detectives from the anti-graft agency, yesterday started comparing collated intelligence notes on the PEPs with their UAE counterparts.

The EFCC officials arrived in Dubai on Saturday. The Minister left Abuja yesterday to join the team.

It was learnt that the AGF had barely returned from an official assignment when an urgent travel arrangement was made for him.

The delegation went to UAE in line with an agreement with the Federal Government.

President Muhammadu Buhari in January signed a “Judicial Agreement on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters, which includes the recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth”.

Seven former governors, six former ministers and a fleeing Presidential aide implicated in the $2.1billion arms deals, ex-military chiefs under probe, agents / fronts of some of these public officers and about five chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) have either stashed away funds in Dubai or acquired properties.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The Federal Government team has met with those from the UAE on intelligence sharing, the list of those on EFCC radar, the number of highly-placed Nigerians with fat accounts in UAE and those with choice properties in Marina (Dubai), Bur Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha.

”Some of the former governors include one from the South-South, two from Northcentral, two from the Northeast, one from the Northwest, and one from the Southwest.

“A former-governor had made botched attempts to transfer about $517million loot to Dominican Republic because UAE law is now strict.

“More than six ex-ministers and a former presidential aide, who is on the run over the $2.1billion arms deals, were said to have acquired choice mansions and malls in UAE. One of the former ministers, who was alleged to own two houses in Dubai, was said to have served as a front for a former First Lady.

“Another ex-minister had bought some malls through a few cronies in Dubai. The list of such agents is being screened.

“Certainly, the anti-graft agency has tightened the noose on these former public officers and there is no hiding place for them.

“The success of the collaboration between the Federal Government team and the UAE Government will determine when EFCC will release the concessions on some of these PEPs. Very soon, we will unveil these ex-political office holders.”

According to sources, the government delegation discovered that many highly-placed Nigerians, including a few ex-governors and money laundering fronts, have fled from Dubai to Singapore, Casablanca in Morocco, Dominican Republic and some islands in the UK and in the Caribbean.

Another source said: “From the trip so far, many big Nigerians have already ran away from Dubai to escape being arrested by the UAE authorities.”

“Some of the ex-governors have also avoided visiting UAE until the coast is clear. They do not want to experience the same fate like ex-Governor James Ibori.

“The frequency at which highly-placed Nigerians fly to Dubai for parties has considerably reduced because they are under watch by the UAE authorities.

A source in the government last night said: “Yes, the AGF and the EFCC chairman with some top officials of the anti-graft agency are in Dubai for a follow-up technical session on the Mutual Legal Assistance between Nigeria and the UAE.

“I can confirm the official trip and it is meant to recover looted funds.”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, Senator Shehu Sani, said over $200 billion had been hidden in UAE.

He said: “Over $200 billion is stashed away from Nigeria in Dubai alone. This may be monies stolen in the past 20 years. I am not talking about estates and bonds and other securities bought with Nigeria stolen money.”

The anti-money laundering policy of UAE Central Bank reads in part: “Any person who commits, or attempts to commit, a Money Laundering offence shall be punished by imprisonment of up to 10 years and or a fine of between AED 100,000 and AED 500,000.

”In cases of multiple perpetrators, the Court, subject to its discretion, may exempt a perpetrator from the imprisonment penalty if he takes the initiative and reports the crime to the competent authorities prior to the knowledge of such authorities and if his actions lead to the arrest of the other perpetrators or seizure of the laundered money.

”Any establishment that commits an offence of money laundering, financing of terrorism or financing of any unlawful organisations, shall be punished by a fine of AED 300,000 and AED 1,000,000.

”Failure to report a suspicious transaction shall be punishable by imprisonment and /or a fine of between AED 50,000 and AED 300,000.

”Tipping off a person being investigated regarding a suspicious transaction shall be punishable by imprisonment of up to one year and/ or a fine of between AED10,000 and AED 100,000.

”Violation of the requirements of Airport Declarations shall be punishable by imprisonment and or a fine.”

Culled From The Nation Newspaper