- Mrs Deziani Alison-Madueke recently denied all the allegations made against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
- But teh anti-graft agency maintains that the former minister has many questions to answer and has asked a court to order the permanent forfeiture of N9.08 billion belonging to her
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to order the forfeiture of N9.08 billion reportedly laundered forformer minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Allison-Madueke.
Deziani Alison-Madueke recently denied any wrong-doing and claimed EFCC was carrying out a witch-hunt exercise |
Mrs Alison-Madueke, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, recently denied being involved in any act for which she was being prosecuted. She described all the allegations against her as witch-hunt.
The Nation reports that at the court on Tuesday, January 25, 2017, the EFCC’s lawyer, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, asked the judge to order the forfeiture of the money permanently to the federal government.
The lawyer quoted section 17 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act to justify his argument
“Can it be said that from the facts and circumstances of this case, that the N9,080,000,000.00, which is the naira equivalent of $40million cannot be reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity?” Oyedepo asked while adding that there was a conspiracy to launder the money.
The report said further that Mr Charles Adeogun, the lawyer to one of those indicted for helping the former minister to launder the money, prayed the court to lift the temporary forfeiture order on it.
Arguing that a forfeiture order is only given on an unclaimed property, Adeogun noted that his client had admitted having received $25 million on Alison-Madueke’s behalf, but was coerced by the commission to further admit receiving $65 million.
He added that the $40 million was taken as an overdraft from his client’s bank to offset the alleged extra sum.
But, in Oyedepo’s agument, the EFCC lawyer said: “My lord, paragraph 4 of our reply affidavit shows a meeting of the minds of one Gbenga Komolafe, former group managing director, Crude Oil Marketing Division of NNPC, Prince Haruna Momoh, former group managing director, Petroleum Product Marketing company, Umar Farouk Ahmed, and group managing director, Nigerian Product Marketing Company, Stanley Lawson, Babajide Sonoiki and the second respondent, executive director of First Bank of Nigeria.
“The evidence shows their agreement to retain and launder funds on behalf of the former Petroleum Minister Diezanni Alison-Madueke.
“It’ll amount to contesting the obvious to argue that the second respondent did not have knowledge of the source of the money,” Oyedepo said.
“I submit that the proper order your Lordship should make is the final forfeiture of the N9.08billion to the Federal Government being sum found in proceed of unlawful activity.
“I urge my Lord to hold that the second respondent (Lawal) has not shown good cause why the said sum should not be forfeited. The funds were recovered from him. The funds we’re seeking to attach is in possession of the second respondent.
“Having advertised to the whole world pursuant to the order of my lord and no one else came to claim the money except the second respondent, it’ll be appropriate to order the forfeiture of the N9.08billion.
“For the other respondents, in view of their failure to react to the case, they are deemed to have admitted the facts contained in our application.
“Since no one has shown cause in relation to N23,446,300,000 and the sum of $5milion, I, therefore, urge your lordship to order the forfeiture of the sums to the Federal Government finally.”
The case has been adjourned until February 16 for judgment.
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