Showing posts with label corruption in Nigeria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corruption in Nigeria. Show all posts
Senate President Bukola Saraki Finally Arrives at the Code of Conduct Tribunal
Court orders Former Gov Nnamani To Forfeit Properties And Companies Worth Billions to FG (see details)
Justice Mohammed Yinusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos today July 8, 2015 convicted four companies associated with former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani and ordered that their properties be forfeited to the Federal Government. The four companies are Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited and Renaissance University Teaching HospitalThe companies had on May 19, 2015 pleaded guilty to a 10-count amended charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The companies are alleged to have failed to comply with lawful inquiry made by the Commission.
At today’s sitting, counsel to the EFCC Kelvin Uzozie prayed the court to make an order of final forfeiture of the companies based on their plea. Justice Yinusa after reviewing the facts convicted the companies and made an order of final forfeiture of their assets to the Federal Government, citing provision of the EFCC Establishment Act on Final Forfeiture.
The properties are located across the five states in the South East geopolitical zone.
Among them are 22 Duplex buildings in Ebeano Under Tunnel Estate now known as Fidelity Estate; Renaissance University Teaching Hospital; Cosmos 105.5 FM Digital Station (Ceuna Communications); and Capital City Automobile Limited, located at 12 Station Road, GRA, Enugu. Also forfeited to the Federal Government include properties of Hill Gate Investment - Plot No H12, H13, H14, H15, H21`, H116, H188, Plot 10, Plot H11, Plot H16, Plot H17, Plot H18, Plot 19, Plot H20, Plot H49, Plot H50, Plot H117, CP/4 (HCR2), CP5 (HCR2) CP/6(HCR2) CP/7 (HCR2) CP/8
The assets also include several undeveloped properties/plots of land of Rainbownet Nigeria Limited in Enugu, Abakaliki, Aba, Owerri, Onitsha, Awka and Umuahia.
Properties of Rainbownet Communication which include BTS, Microwave Avenue Radio, Rectifiere, and a host of the equipment in various sites in Anambra States are also to be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Aside the landed properties, over N35 million from the frozen bank accounts of the companies are also to the forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Uzozie who is pleased with the ruling of the court said the Commission had to sought for a separate trial of the companies as the first accused person, former governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani had stalled proceedings on the matter on account of frequent application to travel abroad for medical treatment on grounds of ill-health.
Chimaroke Nnamani alongside Sunday Anyaogu, his then aide and six firms linked to them: Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Hillgate Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School were first arraigned before Justice Tijani Abubakar in 2007. The case was re-assigned to Justice Charles Archibong following the transfer of Justice Abubakar, now of the Appeal Court, out of the Lagos division of the Federal High Court. Again, the case was re-assigned to Justice Yinusa, after Justice Archibong (now retired) was also transferred out of the Lagos division of the court.
According to the charge, Nnamani conspired with other accused persons to launder funds from the state treasury, especially monies meant for the local government areas of Enugu state.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
7th July, 2015
Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and his two sons Arrested By EFCC
A close source said,
“The former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Mustapha and Aminu, were arrested this morning by operatives of the commission.
“They were actually arrested very early this morning, they were with us for hours before they were flown to Kano for possible arraignment on Wednesday (today).
“They left Abuja Airport around 2.30pm. It is most likely that they would be arraigned tomorrow (Wednesday), that I can tell you.”The EFCC had arrested the two sons of the governor in November 2014, over alleged misappropriation of billions of naira belonging to the Jigawa State Government.
Operatives of the commission investigating Lamido and his sons alleged that billions of naira that belonged to the state government was traced into the accounts of companies owned and run by the governor and his two sons.
The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest of the former governor and two of his sons.
He said,
“I can confirm to you that the former Governor of Jigawa a State, Alhaji Sule Lamido and his two sons are with the commission.”
Punch
Why I'm Going After The Elite - Ben Murray Bruce
“I am fighting against the elite. Definitely, I am fighting them. When they drink that champagne that can educate a child, they should know that I am fighting them. You don’t fly a first class in government while in your private life, you fly economy. I am totally against their lifestyles.“We need to enact laws that favour the masses. The biggest problem in Nigeria today is that our consumption is on the high while production is low. Our leaders in APC, PDP, Labour, APGA and others are all guilty of one thing, which is consuming the resources of the majority of Nigerians.Imagine a situation where governors fly private jets, commissioners drive a twenty million naira car. Commissioners flying first class, living like kings while the state cannot pay salary of its workers. If a commissioner can have three or four policemen around him, who is policing the poor where they are being raped, maimed, robbed and killed?The question is what do we have for the masses? There are one hundred million people living on two dollars a day, in some places, the unemployment rate is 80 0r 90% and then you have governors living a champagne life. Small wonders in some places, thieves steal N50, N200, fishing nets and destroy the lives of the people”.
The Government of Goodluck Jonathan is the most corrupt in Nigerian history- Dino Melaye Blast
“Jonathan is the promoter of corruption. I am telling you that the Government of Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan is the most corrupt in Nigerian history but (who) we have as president-elect of this country today (Muhammadu Buhari); the man I see as the nemesis of corruption.”
About campaigning against corruption when he resumes office, Melaye said;
“Change! I am an advocate of anti-corruption and for me if I enter office, I am going to do it more this time around. More importantly, now that we have a government that is going to have zero tolerance for corruption, we must as legislators carry out our functions from any form of sacrifice.”
Shame!!!Kayode Ogundamisi Defends Corruption, comes for Ben Murray-Bruce
This is the problem with Nigerians, immediately you take a stand to fight corruption and evil, everyone comes after you and dig up dirt everywhere. Yeah, i support the fact that those who live in glass house should not throw stones and before you remove the dirt in other people's eyes, remove yours first.
The question is, should we wait for saints to fight corruption? because i strongly believe everyone is corrupt in one dealings or another in this country. Just yesterday, Ben Murray Bruce said the hottest place in hell should be reserved for governors because of their corruption and lack of sensitivity as regards paying of salaries and other issues. As if what he said was a lie, a respected social & political activist Kayode Ogundami(see below) has attacked the media mogul and dug out some of his dealings from the past. See his tweet below:
2015 Elections : Prof Osinbajo Blast President Goodluck Jonathan Over "Stealing is not corruption" Comment
During the presidential media chat yesterday evening, when asked to clarify his statement "Stealing is not corruption", president Jonathan said he made the statement quoting the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Dahiru Mustafa, who explained to him that his analysis of corruption cases in Nigeria showed that most of the cases tagged as corruption were theft. President Jonathan said that referring to stealing as corruption minimizes the crime. "Ole (thief in Yoruba) should be called Ole and given that treatment. Let us communicate properly. The word corruption, we have abused it." GEJ said. .
Far from satisfied with President Jonathan's response, Prof Osinbajo took to his Facebook wall to react. Read below...
EFCC declares former Adamawa state gov, Murtala Nyako And Son wanted
Former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako has been declared wanted by the anti- graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Also wanted by the EFCC is the son of the ex-governor, Abdul Aziz Murtala Nyako, a retired Naval officer. Both are wanted in a case of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering. - Wilson Uwujaren - head of media & publicity for EFCC.Suddenly EFCC is now going after corrupt officers, military is intensifying effort to fight boko haram,PHCN seems to be improving, fuel price reduced and many changes in a short while just to get the support of angry voters. My question is ??Was the PDP blind to the menace that was disrupting the country and how are we sure they wouldn't go blind again once they get another term. For me, i am very disappointed with GEJ government and i will speak my mind with no bias because is politics to the man, he doesn't represent the poor voters
''Kill Any Public Official Who Steals Above N1million'' – TUC president Says
President of the TUC, Bobboi Kaigama during a lecture at the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife yesterday, recommended the death penalty for any public official who is indicted in any financial crime above N1million.
During his lecture which was titled "‘Corruption and challenges in nation-building’, Kaigama said tougher sanctions such as his suggestion would make the government's crusade against corruption more sincere.
"If the governments and legislators are truly sincere about the fight against corruption in the country, they must go tougher. Any public official, whether at the state or federal level, should be executed.
Killing them after confirmation of any embezzlement allegation of more than N1m will lead us to the right path.
“I sincerely recommend an active process of legislation that would support that. It would also serve the nation well to have a law which not only provides for every public office holder to declare his assets on assuming office, but also stipulate that he must repeat the exercise each subsequent year that he is in office and not later than one month after vacating the office. Such declaration should be in at least three newspapers and not just to the Code of Conduct Bureau.” he said
He advocated for public officer's to be compelled to declare their assets when they assume office as well as get banned from occupying any political office if found guilty of any corruptible act. Do you agrees with him or not?
See How Former Edo Governor, Igbinedion, lost N3.3billion To International Fraudsters
This report was put together by The Premium Times. It's quite lengthy, but you'll surely enjoy it.(my sense of justice tells me that) Read below...
Mr. Igbinedion, who stole his state blind while he was governor, has now been scammed of billions by Venezuelan fraudsters in a classic 419 deal.
Nemesis may have finally caught up with ex-convict and former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion, as he has lost over N3.3 billion to Venezuelan fraudsters, in a deal that bears all the marks of a classic 419 scam, Premium Times can authoritatively reveal.
Court documents seen by Premium Times also suggest that Mr. Igbinedion may be insolvent, as two US-based law firms have walked away from a $600 million lawsuit he instituted against the alleged mastermind and the Venezuelan state owned oil company, Petroleos De Venezuela S.A (PDVSA), over his inability to pay retainer as low as N627,000.00 ($3,800.00).
Mr. Igbinedion plundered Edo State treasury for the eight years he was governor. He escaped jail after he reached a controversial plea bargain agreement with the Farida Waziri-led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which dropped all but one of the 191 charges of corruption and money laundering against him.
In 2008, a Federal High Court in Enugu sentenced him to six months in prison with the option of a N3.5 million fine. The controversial plea bargain agreement he reached with the EFCC also required that he return N500 million and three of the houses he acquired with stolen public funds to the Federal Government.
But it’s not yet Uhuru for Mr. Igbinedion as the Court of Appeal in Benin ruled on April 9, 2014 that he has a case to answer over a fresh 66-count money laundering and financial impropriety suit brought against him by the EFCC. A Federal High Court had ruled in 2011 that it would amount to double jeopardy and abuse of court process to try him again after the plea bargain he entered with the EFCC.
He has been accused of stealing over N3 billion from Edo State’s treasury.
Classic 419-scam
In 2006, looking to cash in on the lucrative but fraud-tainted fuel importation business, the ex-governor’s front and Managing Director of Skanga Energy and Marine Limited, a company formed by Mr. Igbinedion and his brother, Bright, in 1992, Christian Imoukhuede, approached the then Venezuelan Trade Consul to Nigeria, Enrique Arrundell, about the prospect of importing petrol, aviation fuel, and diesel from the South American country.
According to documents filed with a US District Court in New York, Mr. Arrundell advised Mr. Imoukhuede that the best way to get fuel was to go through a PDVSA approved agent.
Mr. Arrundell then introduced Mr. Imoukhuede to Arevenca, a fraudulent firm owned by alleged notorious Venezuelan conman, Francisco Gonzalez.
That meeting with Mr Gonzalez marked the beginning of Mr Igbinedion’s woes.
Mr. Igbinedion and his front, Mr. Imoukhuede claimed in court that they did due diligence checks on Arevenca through the Venezuelan embassy in Abuja. They claim that embassy officials confirmed Arevenca as a reputable Venezuelan business concern and validated documents provided by Arevenca that supposedly showed a relationship with PDVSA.
But it has since turned out that Arevenca might be a complete fraud. PDVSA has since said in court that it has no records of any relationship with Arevenca.
Arevenca is a registered corporation under Venezuelan law but was most recently headquartered in Aruba. Its subsidiaries are: Arevenca AKTM, registered in British Virgin Islands; Arevenca SL, registered in Spain; and Arevenca Aruba Holding NV.
Others are Arevenca Bank, Arevenca Foundation, Fly Aruba Suriname, Arevenca Mining and Arevenca Petroleum Company registered in offshore tax haven, Suriname. There is Arevenca Finances Holding registered in Switzerland and Arevenca Ivory Coast.
Many of these subsidiaries are shell companies or exist only in names.
A Canadian-based freelance journalist, Steven Bodzin, who worked as an energy reporter in Venezuela and has written a number of exposés on Arevenca, revealed that Arevenca’s website is a repository of mind-numbing lies meant to hoodwink mostly unsuspecting international investors.
For instance, on its website, Arevenca claims to have a global refining capacity of 2.5 million barrels per day and plans to build a two million barrel per day refinery in Ivory Coast.
It also claims to have a fleet of 72 ships.
However, the company with the highest refining capacity in the world as at September 2013, Reliance Jamnagar Refinery, India, has a refining capacity of only 1.24 million barrels per day.
In fact, Arevenca is not listed among the top ten refineries in the world. The only Venezuela-based refinery in the top 10, Paraguana Refining Centre, belongs to PDVSA and has a processing capacity of just 955,000bpd.
And despite claiming to have 75 vessels, a PREMIUM TIMES search on Lloyds Ship Directories shows that Arevenca does not operate from any of Venezuelan’s 16 ports. There is also no proof that the company is building a two million barrel per day refinery in Ivory Coast as it claimed.
These are just few of the web of lies contained in Arevenca’s website. Other false claims made by the company to defraud investors can be found on Mr. Bodzin’s blog.
In October 2006, Mr. Imoukhuede, who was Mr. Igbinedion’s schoolmate, arrived at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas and was ushered into the VIP lounge of the facility and later given a luxury ride to the exquisite InterContinental Tamanaco, rated among the top three hotels in the country.
It was at Intercontinental Tamanaco that Mr. Imoukhuede had initial negotiation with Mr. Gonzalez and an unnamed Nigerian.
After the meeting, Skanga reached a tentative agreement to buy “petroleum products” from Arevenca. Arevenca also agreed to give Skanga the first right of refusal to buy its AGO (diesel), PMS (premium motor spirit) DPK (kerosene), Jet Al fuel, Bitumen and Fuel oil.
The deal was to take off with a 35,000 metric tones of AGO in the first instance and then grow into about three cargoes monthly, according to an official statement by Skanga.
Bank transfer documents show that Skanga paid $1.05 million of the $1.4 million cost of freight.
Skanga’s officials claimed during interrogation in court that their company made these payments ($580,000 and $470,000) based on the proof of certain “inducement documents which included an alleged PDVSA bill of lading.
After Skanga made these initial payments, it became trapped. The duping of the former governor and his corrupt clan began in full swing.
Igbinedion goes to Caracas
In January 2007, four months before the expiration of his governorship term, Mr. Igbinedion travelled to Caracas, ostensibly on an official visit and possibly lavishing Edo state money on the deal. But our investigations indicate the visit was to put finishing touches to the deal earlier reached by his front three months earlier.
According to the Bolivarian News Agency (ABN), Mr. Igbinedion and his entourage were purportedly met by some of the influential “Chavista” politicians in the country, as supporters of the late Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chávez, are called: the Mayor of Central Caracas, Freddy Bernal, the Governor of Miranda, Diosdado Cabello, and Deputy Foreign Minister for Africa, Reinaldo BolÃvar as well as other top Venezuelan government officials and businessmen.
It was an elaborate event accompanied by lavish photo op, expensive alcohol and dinner in the evening at the “Gran Melia Hotel, another top three luxury hotel in Venezuela, according to luxury hotel reservations website, Five Star Alliance.
Mr. Igbinedion was handed the key to the city of Caracas and announced as the “AlcaldÃa de Libertador”, the honorary Mayor of the central Caracas borough of Libertador. He also held a meeting with top officials of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry at their headquarters, the Yellow House.
But the whole fanfare was a grand charade and part of a well orchestrated confidence trick put together by some of the most devious conmen in Latin America.
It later appeared that Mr. Gonzalez received an intensive course on Nigerian niceties. Emails from Mr. Arrundell and Gonzalez to Mr. Igbinedion have that uniquely Nigerian informality. Rather than write in a formal manner as one would have expected of parties in a multi-million dollar deal, they addressed Mr. Igbinedion as “My brother Lucky” or “Dear brother Lucky.”
One letter by Mr. Gonzalez, filled with grammatical errors, reads:
Dear brother lucky
I already send the dignity signed invoice.
You know what this mean.
Nobody do this, but I always honored my word, agins all the logical and normal status.
I prefer died that do not honored my word.
This is another demonstration that I am a honor man.
That mean that the product is yours.
I trust you like a brother I hope you do not let me down.
I do not want disappoint you, I hope you do not disappoint me.
Best regards,
You brother and friend
Francisco JAvier Gonzalez
The geniality of Mr. Gonzalez’s letters coupled with the grand reception, some would say deception, he got during his “official” visit to Caracas apparently made Mr. Igbinedion even more trusting of the Venezuelan gang.
Nigerian thief, money launderer, is scammed
After a couple of other meetings later that year, Arevenca made Skanga a deal too good to be true: a consignment of 35,000 metric tonnes of diesel will be sent to Skanga.
All it needed to do was to prepay the charges for delivery and complete the full payment for the delivery in three months.
Mr. Igbinedion could not believe his luck. Skanga promptly transferred $19.6 million more to Arevenca’s Swiss bank account as freight charges and partial payment for two consignments of Petrol and diesel aboard two vessels named “Digniti” and “Ventur.”
The vessels never arrived.
The Nigerian Port Authority said it does not have any record of “Digniti” or “Ventur” entering Nigerian waters at the time it was billed to arrive.
In fact, PREMIUM TIMES investigation reveals that there are no vessels named “Dignitii” or “Ventur”.
Searches on Lloyds directories and other ship directories show that the ship don’t exist anywhere in the world.
All efforts made to contact the Venezuelan embassy to confirm the extent to which Mr. Arrundell, who has been posted out of the country, was involved in the scam was unsuccessful.
The embassy’s phone number seems to be out of order and emails were returned as undelivered.
Mr. Imoukhuede declined to comment when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES. He explained that since the case is in court, Skanga’s lawyer was in the best position to make public comments on the matter.
“You know the case is in court. I don’t think I am at ease to talk about it. I would have to talk to the lawyer. I can’t make any comment. The Nigerian legal system is different from the American system. The best thing is to talk to Femi Salu,” he said.
Verdict On Stella Oduah By GEJ Three Men Committee,,,
Despite all the controversy surrounding the car scandal, the three man committe constituted by President Goodluck Jonathan to look into the N255 million armoured Beamer procured by the NCAA for the Aviation Minister Stella oduah has submitted their reports to their Oga at the top.
RECOMMENDATION The Minister should be given an Executive caution by Mr President.
This is a simple way of saying she has been discharged and acquitted of all corruption charges.I know there was something called execution pardon but didn't know there was anything like executive caution.
It is clear that the reasons she acts without following due process or following the rule of law is because she knows she can get away with anything.This is why some people will always behave like they are bigger than the law.
Bulletproof Cars: Panel Submit Result, Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Oduah
The House Committee on Aviation which investigated the purchase of two armoured BMW cars for the aviation minister, Stella Oduah at the rate of N255m has submitted its report.
Oduah should face the consequence of spending public money on unbudgeted expenditure such as the purchase of the cars: a three-year jail term and a fine of N100, 000. These are
part of
recommendations of the report of the House Committee on Aviation.
“That the contract for the purchase of the cars was not listed in the budget by NCAA, the agency compelled by the minister to make the purchase, and was
not listed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
“That spending public funds on unbudgeted projects attracts three years in jail and a fine of N100, 000 as stipulated by the ICPC Act.”
“The minister’s poor supervisory role led NCAA into unilaterally appropriating funds against next year’s budget. The above is an indirect contempt of parliament, even so that the president and commander-in-chief has not submitted to the National Assembly the 2014 Appropriation Bill.”
“The minister has not addressed why the NCAA paid a price tag that auto dealers in the US and UK described as ‘a rip-off’. It is a fact that each of the BMW cars should cost no more than $167,000 which is approximately N36 million.
“Aviation minister approved NCAA’s request to procure 55 operational vehicles valued at N564.665 million; there is no evidence to show that the Hon. Minister presented NCAA’s request to FEC for its approval. Further, the attempt to procure now and pay later is against the extant laws of the federation.”
They therefore recommended that “the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should review the continued engagement of the Hon. Minister for Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, having contravened the 2013 appropriation and approved revised thresholds by exceeding her approval limit of N100m with the purchase of 54 vehicles valued at N643m”.
On the finding of the panel that the cars allegedly purchased were different from the ones they inspected, the legislators recommended that the “Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant anti-corruption agencies further investigate the discrepancies and the chassis number DW68032 of the vehicles on the one reported to be delivered and the one inspected by the committee, and, if found wanting, prosecute all persons/institutions involved in the transaction”.
The report also asks the company from which the cars were purchased, Coscharis Nigeria Limited, to pay the value of the waiver for the two BMW armoured cars, having been found to have lied about the federal government giving it waiver on the cars.
It states: “Coscharis Nigeria Limited should be investigated on the issue of waiver, source and exact cost of the two (2) BMW vehicles supplied to NCAA. It should be made to pay the waiver value into the treasury account.
“Coscharis Motors Limited claimed that the Federal Ministry of Finance granted it import duty, VAT, ETLS, CISS and port charges waiver to import two (2) bulletproof BMW armoured cars. This claim is false.”
The lawmakers also found that there were: “No copies of advertisements or solicitations for bids published in at least 2 national newspapers and the website of NCAA as well as any procurement journal. No copies of bids submissions registers and duplicate copies of receipts issued to bidders on submission bids. No minutes of public bidding for technical and financial proposals, including list of CSOs and professional observers. No copies of bids evaluation by the sub-technical committees of the Tenders Board, and copies of minutes of meetings of the Tenders Board approving the winning bidder.”
Former Local Government Chairman Jailed For N7million Fraud
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| Mr Enesi Jimoh Photo Courtest of EFCC |
A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi state presided over by Justice I.E. Ekwo yesterday sentenced one Mr. Enesi Jimoh, former chairman of Adavi Local Government Council of the state to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.
A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren said Mr. Enesi was found guilty of converting N7 million meant for the provision of borehole for communities in the council area for personal use while in office.
Enesi was arraigned by EFCC, alongside one Samuel Abiodun Ojo, Commissioner for Agriculture in March 31, 2010.
However, Ojo was discharged by the court after a no case submission filed by the defence counsel, H.O Agumbiodun in June 2012.
The statement further said one of the charges for which Jimoh was convicted reads, “That you Enesi Jimoh Suleman while serving as executive chairman of Davi Local Government council converted the sum of 7 million naira property of Davi Local Government Council, concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2004 and also punishable under section 14 of same Act”.
Source:Peoplesdaily
Police Inspector Collecting Bribe On A Saturday Morning (VIDEO)
According the reports, the victims were accused of driving pass red light ,threatened with fire and brimstone and were asked to pay N20,000. Their car papers were seized the car but after much begging, they could only afford N2000. The Inspector laughed,collected the money,returned the paper and they drove off. You will notice the recording started late due to fear but you can clearly see where the Inspector collected the N2k and released the papers.
will there ever be an end to this?seems to be getting worse even with all the recent recordings by Lagosians.
Women Not Better After-all: NTDC Boss Mrs Sally Mbanefo In N270m Scandal; Barred From Travelling, Car Seized
It is so disheartening to see woman swim in corruption waters. The women have fought for so long to be given a chance to participate fully in the politics in Nigeria but the way things are going, i don't think that will be possible because the few women given a chance have not made much difference, in fact they have more skeletons in their wardrobe.
Barely 6 months after assuming office as the Director General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo is swimming in the murky waters of corruption.
Along with some top officials of the agency, Sally is being investigated for an alleged N270m fraud. And this time, the case has reached such an extent that anti-corruption
agency, the EFCC has invited and questioned all parties involved.
Insiders revealed "the new D.G and her agents are so embroiled in the matter that, they were only allowed to leave the office of the EFCC based on administrative bail".
A travel ban slammed on 'them' as investigations continues. The 'official' car of one of the accused identified as 'the C.S.O' was reportedly impounded till circumstances surrounding its acquisition are cleared.
The case against Mrs Mbanefo and others centres on illegal manouevering in 'allocating budgets', approving expenditures'.
An insider is said to have discovered the anomaly and petitioned the EFCC with supporting evidences. Six top staffers of the NTDC - including the D.G and the 'C.S.O' - are involved in the ongoing case.
Mbanefo, a former banker and top staffer of Lafarge Cement Wapco Nig Plc assumed her present post in May 2013.
Source:newsinnigeria
James Ibori $15 Million Bride Money Has Been Awarded By Federal High Court To,,.
The ownership of the $15 miliion that ex-Delta state governor James Ibori allegedly used as a bribe has been awarded to the Federal Government.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ruled that the Delta state government failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the sum belongs to it.
The Delta state government claimed ownership of the money allegedly given by Mr. Ibori, as bribe to stave-off arrest by former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The EFCC had in July 2012 approached the court through an ex- parte application, requesting for an order forfeiting the Ibori bribe which had been lying in the vaults of the Central Bank of Nigeria for more than five years to the Federal Government as unclaimed proceed of crime.
The EFCC had urged the court to dismiss the claim by the Delta State government to the alleged bribe and order the final forfeiture of the sum to the Federal Government in line with the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
They Have No Evidence After 50 Trips To Nigeria” – Ex-governor Ibori Speaks
The London Metropolitan Police has ordered a retrial of the assets confiscation case involving former Delta State governor, James Ibori.
The convicted politician, who is currently serving a jail term, is still answering charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
The trial Judge, Anthony Pitts, on Monday, granted the Crown Prosecution’s request of the prosecution to gather enough evidence against Ibori, after parties have made their final submissions in the hearing.
Reacting to Pitts’ judgment, Ibori said: “After eight years of criminal investigations, five adjournments and over 50 trips to Nigeria, the prosecution failed to provide any tangible evidence to support their claim that I defrauded Delta State.
“Their case collapsed to such an extent that on the very last day of a three-week hearing, they were humbled into making an application to the judge for permission to start again which the judge unceremoniously granted.”
Source: DailyPost
War Against Corrupt officers:Another police extortion caught on Camera
When international communities ridicule our Police force because of its inherent corruption, we frown at them. Watch this and see how a Police Man Charges a man N10,000 for a missing number in the chassis number of his vehicle.
This one happened in Onitsha Area Command, in Anambra State. Officers: Stephen Iduh, Anselem Ukachukwu, J. O Daudu of the Servicom Unit. as at Friday 20th Sept. 2013. Watch video below:
President Jonathan tells Nigerians to Stop encouraging corruption
President Goodluck Jonathan while addressing the 54th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Economic Summit that held in Abuja yesterday blamed the level of corruption in Nigeria on the society. He said instead of punishing corrupt people, we reward them.
“When you talk about corruption, the private sector is involved; the public sector is involved; even the individuals, including other societies, and I wouldn’t want to mention names so that I will not be attacked. But I know that if collectively all of us don’t reward corruption, people would not be attracted to corrupt practices, but when we all reward corruption, then of course, we will be tempted to go in that direction.
“I want a society where all of us will frown against people who come up with what they are not supposed to have. If a young man who just started a job and within six months or a year comes up with a car of N7m to N15m and you clap for him, then you are rewarding corruption." the president said.
“So for us as a nation to bring corruption down in Nigeria, it’s not just blaming government or blaming police, but all individuals must frown at people who have what they are not supposed to have, who live in houses they supposed not to live in; who drive cars they are not supposed to drive and who wear suits more expensive they can afford.“And until we, as Nigerians are able to do this, then invariably we are all rewarding corruption and until we stop that, I don’t think we will get to where we want to go. We believe that we should not create an environment where people would be tempted to take what belongs to the public because that is why even in the fertilizer business we talked about electronic wallet, e-Wallet, so that funds are not exposed to corrupt people"
Swiss Bank Document Exposes Ibori’s Ownership Of 30 Per Cent Of Oando, 50 Per Cent Of Nigerian Bank
A Southwark Crown Court yesterday heard from a British prosecutor, Sasha Wass, how convicted former Delta State governor James Ibori passed himself off to a Swiss private bank in 2004 as being the owner of an Insurance coy, half owner of a bank and owning 30 percent of indigenous oil firm – Oando, which paid $1.2 million into his account that year.
The court also heard that PKB Private bank had in an internal document likened Ibori, who governed Delta State from 1999 to 2007, to a scion of the Kennedy dynasty in the United States.
Ibori was convicted in February 2012 in the UK after he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud and money-laundering worth 50 million pounds ($79.5 million).
Prosecutors say his total wealth was likely to be far greater than that.
Details of Ibori’s assets and how he kept them from public knowledge through a maze of shell companies and off shore bank accounts are being revealed as part of a three-week confiscation hearing which began in London on Monday.
Prosecutor Sasha Wass told the court that while opening an account at Swiss bank, PKB, through a shell company called Stanhope Investment, Mr. Ibori told the bank he owns 30 per cent of Oando.
Quoting from internal PKB documents, Ms. Wass said the former governor presented himself as the owner of an insurance company and 50 per cent owner of a Nigerian Bank.
She said that a total of $1.2 million (N180 million) flowed into the PKB account from Oando in three instalments that year which had later been funneled into other accounts and were part of funds intended for the purchase of a $20 million (N3 billion) private jet.
This is contrary to a statement by Oando on Monday which claimed that Ibori had only an “insignificant” holding in the firm adding that it had sold $2.7 million of its foreign exchange earnings for naira in 2004 to a company that had later turned out to be controlled by Ibori; a fact it did not know that at the time.
It was learnt that following news of Ibori’s involvement with Oando, its shares dipped 10 per cent at thestock market on Tuesday and might still suffer more slip ups in the coming weeks.
Ms. Wass told the court yesterday that despite his assets being restrained in 2008, Ibori had after that date continued to live a lavish lifestyle, travel and pay fees to the English boarding school where his three children were being educated.
Coupled with his unenviable track record of hiding assets, this led to the “irresistible inference” by investigators that Ibori had further hidden assets which had not yet been uncovered, Ms. Wass said, adding that one option of where these might be, was Oando.
Wass also quoted from an internal PKB report from 2004 which said Ibori came from one of a few Nigerian families which had for decades developed Nigeria’s oil industry.
“We could compare these families with the Kennedy dynasty which also mixed business and politics,” the bank document said. Another excerpt said Ibori was “an extremely rich man as he was doing a lot of business before becoming governor”.