The arraignment of a former Minister of Petroleum
Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, may be drawing closer as United Kingdom send in investigators to gather substantial evidences against her.
The ex-minister is under investigation over
the missing $20billion oil cash, phoney crude oil lifting contracts,
$115million poll bribery money, the $1.092b Malabu oil deal and the N5.2billion
($25m) oil cash paid by an Indian oil firm for an oil block.
The UK team inspected the former minister’s
multi-billion naira mansion, her £600,000 exotic wrist watch and gold and
diamond jewelry which have been confiscated.
There were indications last night that the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has also frozen Mrs
Alison-Madueke’s bank accounts and assets.
The commission may attach some assets of
the ex-minister under the Interim Forfeiture Order in Sections 26 and 29 of the
EFCC Act, it was learnt.
The UK investigators came into the country
as part of the build-up to the trial of the ex-minister in London.
Mrs Alison-Madueke and four others were
arrested in London on October 2, 2015 by the National Crime Agency( NCA).
The NCA said all the suspects were released
on “conditional police bail, pending further investigation both in the UK and
overseas”.
A source, who confirmed the visit said it
was the “continuation of the London end of the investigation of the
ex-minister.”
Besides restricting her movement to the UK,
a London (Westminster Magistrate’s Court) on Marylebone Road had approved the
seizure of $41,000 (£27,000) cash from Mrs Alison-Madueke.
“With the outcome of the fact-finding
mission of the UK team, I think so far, the investigation has reached a
convenient bend for the prosecution of the ex-minister,” the source said,
pleading not to be named because of the “sensitivity” of the matter.
An EFCC source confirmed that the former
minister’s accounts in some major banks had been frozen. “It is too early to
disclose the amounts involved in order not to prejudice investigation.
We are
discovering more on daily basis as some complicit banks are now cooperating,”
he said, adding:
“We are allowed by law to place suspicious
accounts and assets under interim forfeiture until the court decides otherwise.
“We are collaborating with anti-graft
agencies in other jurisdictions on her case.”
Sections 26 and 29 of the EFCC Act on
forfeiture read: “Any property subject to forfeiture under this Act may be
seized by the commission in the following circumstances- (a) the seizure is
incidental to an arrest or search; or (b) in the case of property liable to
forfeiture upon process issued by the Court following an application made by
the Commission in accordance with the prescribed rules
“Whenever property is seized under any of
the provisions of this Act, the Commission may-(a) place the property under
seal; or (b) remove the property to a place designated by the Commission.
“Properties taken or detained under this
section shall be deemed to be in custody of the Commission, subject only to an
order of a court.”
There is an ongoing probe by the EFCC of
Mrs Alison-Madueke’s involvement in a $115m (N23, 299,705,000billion) 2015 poll
bribery scandal.
The anti-graft agency has quizzed Managing
Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo and the bank’s Head of
Operations, Martin Izuogbe in connection with the scandal.
Four companies, according to investigation
by the anti-graft agency, allegedly gave the following amount to the bank for
use to bribe officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Northern Belt Gas Company Limited ($60m); Auctus Integrated($17,884,000);
Midwestern Oil and Gas($9.5m); and Leno Laitan Adesanya ($1.85m).
“The ex-minister sent
$25.77million(approximately $26m) to bring the total amount to $115million(
N23, 299,705,000billion).
Mrs Alison- Madueke has twice in six months
appeared before a London court to answer charges regarding the £27,000 money laundering
and bribery allegation made against her by the NCA..
She will be returning to the court again in
September, after the Westminster Magistrate court granted the request of the
NCA on March 31, 2016 for another six months to enable the Agency gets more
time to tighten its case.
Mrs Madueke will be on bail along with her
mother Mrs Beatrice Agama who is the lead suspect; son, Ugonna Madeueke, family
friend Ms Melanie Spencer, the wife of a Ghanaian oil tycoon, Kevin Okyere till
when the court reconvenes in September to decide on a direction for the case.
It is typical of the NCA drawing its
motivation from the Proceeds of Crime Act to always ask for more time for its
investigations so it can build a water tight case.
The Proceeds of Crime Act says: “The
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (“POCA”) sets out the legislative scheme for the
recovery of criminal assets with criminal confiscation being the most commonly
used power.
“Confiscation occurs after a conviction has
taken place. Other means of recovering the proceeds of crime, which do not
require a conviction, are provided for in the Act, namely civil recovery, cash
seizure and taxation powers. The investigation is now global extending to
Nigeria and Switzerland where billionaire Business man Kola Aluko was questioned
and home raided on the request of the NCA.
Aluko, who has Swiss nationality and owner
of Atlantic Energy had some oil deals with NNPC while Madueke was in charge. He
is believed to be a key figure in the money laundering network.
Atlantic Energy signed a lucrative
strategic alliance in 2011 with NNPC while Madueke was in charge of Petroleum
Ministry giving it rights to sell oil from four big blocks on behalf of
Nigeria. Before the oil price crashed, Aluko said the commercial value of the
contract was estimated at $7bn.
Source: Today
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