An Operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Usman Zakari, on
Thursday gave graphic details of how the
former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani
Alison-Madueke, laundered $115 million
USD, through three oil companies and two
individuals.
Zakari, the EFCC second witness in the
ongoing trial of former People’s Democratic
Party (PDP), governorship candidate in
Kwara State, Mr. Mohammed Dele Belgore,
and former Minister for National Planning,
Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, who are standing
trial in the alleged N450 million fraud.
Belgore and Sulaiman are being tried before
Justice Rilwan Aikawa led-coourt on an
amended five counts, wherein the name of
the former Petroleum Minister was clearly
mentioned.
According to the amended charge, on or
about March 27, 2015, Alison-Madueke was
accused of conspiring with Belgore and
Sulaiman to directly take possession of the
sum of N450 million, which they reasonably
ought to have known to be a part of
proceeds of unlawful act.
The two defendants were equally said to
have taken the said funds in cash, which
exceeded the amount authorized by law,
without going through any financial
institution.
They were also accused of paying a sum to
the tune of N50 million to one Sheriff
ShaGaeya, without going through financial
institutions.
The alleged offence according to the EFCC
are contrary to sections 18 (a)15 (2) (d), 1
(a), 16 (d) and punishable under sections 15
(3) and 4, 16 (2) (b), and 16 (d) of the
Money Laundering (Prohibition)
(Amendment) Act, 2012.
At the resumed trial of the two defendants
the witness while being led-in-evidence by
the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, said the
former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison-
Madueke, used three oil companies namely:
Auctus Integrated Investiment Limited,
NothernbeltOil and Gas Limited, and
Midwestern Oil and Gas Limited, and two
individuals, Leon Laitan Adesanya and an
Aides to the former Minister, to launder $
115 million USD.
Zakari said by the authority of the former
Petroleum Minister, the three companies
laundered $17.884 million USD, $16 million
USD, $9.5 million USD, while Adesanya an
Aide to the former Minister laundered $
1.150 million and $25.776 million USD
respectively.
The EFCC witness told the court that the said
monies were taken to the bank in suit
cases.
The witness also told the court how the
former Minister had a meeting with the
Managing Director of a Bank on how the
money should be change to Naira, and
distributed to the 36 States of the country
and the officials of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), during
2015 General election.
The witness also identified some of the
documents which include: email
correspondence between the former
Petroleum Minister and the Bank’s
managing director, the documents were
signed by the two defendants while
receiving the sum of N450 million.
However the matter was brought to a halt
at the instance of the prosecutor, Mr.
Oyedepo, who asked the court for
adjournment, on the ground that he needed
to meet a witness who will testify in
another criminal matter at a Lagos High
Court tomorrow.
Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice
Aikawa adjourned the matter till June 8, for
continuation of trial of the defendants.
