Abacha loot: I never asked Nigeria for extra pay, says Swiss lawyer

Enrico Monfrini, a Swiss lawyer hired by the Nigerian
government since 1999 to work on recovering Abacha loot, has denied
asking for additional fees.

His denial came on the heels of a syndicated article in Nigerian
media seeking to justify the duplication of Monfrini’s job
by Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation
(AGF).

TheCable had reported the engagement of another set of Nigerian
lawyers for a fee of $17 million (about N6 billion) for a job
already completed by Monfrini.

But an article apparently sponsored to discredit TheCable
alleged that Monfrini was asking for an additional 20% to “complete
the job”.

Malami allegedly made a counter offer of 5 percent which
Monfrini rejected, and this reportedly prompted Malami to engage
the services of two Nigerian lawyers — Oladipo Okpeseyi, a senior
advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and Temitope Adebayo.

In an email to TheCable on Thursday, however, Monfrini explained
that there is no truth in the allegation.

“I am not asking any additional fees from the Federal Republic
of Nigeria in respect of funds which I have recovered on behalf of
the latter during the last 20 years,” he said, adding that any
allegations against him “would just be a lie”.

Working with then-attorney-general of Nigeria, Mohammed Adoke,
Monfrini traced about $321 million to Luxembourg.

The monies were recovered and kept in the custody of the
attorney-general of Switzerland, awaiting final return to
Nigeria.

Monfrini had, earlier, told TheCable that he did not know why
Nigeria decided to appoint other lawyers.

“Upon the election of President Buhari, the newly appointed
minister of justice and attorney-general, Malami, appeared to
prefer using the services of other lawyers in Nigeria and
elsewhere,” he had said.

TheCable had also reported how Nigeria will be paying $17
million (over N6 billion) to the freshly engaged lawyers who
would “help” with the repatriation of $321 million stolen by
Abacha.

This amount is nearly thrice more than what was already paid to
Monfrini for the same job.

A senior official of the ministry of justice had told TheCable
that “this is a case of re-looting Abacha loot”.

“A simple letter from the office of our attorney-general of the
federation to the Swiss attorney-general requesting the
repatriation of the funds to Nigeria consequent upon the signing of
an MoU was all that was required to consummate the deal,” the
official said.

“From nowhere, Malami went and appointed another set of lawyers
to do his job for him, and for few million dollars too.”

The Cable Foundation, a partner organisation of TheCable
newspaper, is currently in court to seek an order of mandamus
compelling the AGF to release the details of the repatriation
agreements with the lawyers.

An official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) has, however, told TheCable that the anti-graft agency is
closely monitoring the situation.

“If a case of duplication is established, there will be
consequences. This government takes the anti-graft war as a
priority, as you well know, and this particular transaction is of
interest to us,” the official said.

Enrico Monfrini, a Swiss lawyer hired by the Nigerian
government since 1999 to work on recovering Abacha loot, has denied
asking for additional fees.

His denial came on the heels of a syndicated article in Nigerian
media seeking to justify the duplication of Monfrini’s job
by Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation
(AGF).

TheCable had reported the engagement of another set of Nigerian
lawyers for a fee of $17 million (about N6 billion) for a job
already completed by Monfrini.

But an article apparently sponsored to discredit TheCable
alleged that Monfrini was asking for an additional 20% to “complete
the job”.

Malami allegedly made a counter offer of 5 percent which
Monfrini rejected, and this reportedly prompted Malami to engage
the services of two Nigerian lawyers — Oladipo Okpeseyi, a senior
advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and Temitope Adebayo.

In an email to TheCable on Thursday, however, Monfrini explained
that there is no truth in the allegation.

“I am not asking any additional fees from the Federal Republic
of Nigeria in respect of funds which I have recovered on behalf of
the latter during the last 20 years,” he said, adding that any
allegations against him “would just be a lie”.

Working with then-attorney-general of Nigeria, Mohammed Adoke,
Monfrini traced about $321 million to Luxembourg.

The monies were recovered and kept in the custody of the
attorney-general of Switzerland, awaiting final return to
Nigeria.

Monfrini had, earlier, told TheCable that he did not know why
Nigeria decided to appoint other lawyers.

“Upon the election of President Buhari, the newly appointed
minister of justice and attorney-general, Malami, appeared to
prefer using the services of other lawyers in Nigeria and
elsewhere,” he had said.

TheCable had also reported how Nigeria will be paying $17
million (over N6 billion) to the freshly engaged lawyers who
would “help” with the repatriation of $321 million stolen by
Abacha.

This amount is nearly thrice more than what was already paid to
Monfrini for the same job.

A senior official of the ministry of justice had told TheCable
that “this is a case of re-looting Abacha loot”.

“A simple letter from the office of our attorney-general of the
federation to the Swiss attorney-general requesting the
repatriation of the funds to Nigeria consequent upon the signing of
an MoU was all that was required to consummate the deal,” the
official said.

“From nowhere, Malami went and appointed another set of lawyers
to do his job for him, and for few million dollars too.”

The Cable Foundation, a partner organisation of TheCable
newspaper, is currently in court to seek an order of mandamus
compelling the AGF to release the details of the repatriation
agreements with the lawyers.

An official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) has, however, told TheCable that the anti-graft agency is
closely monitoring the situation.

“If a case of duplication is established, there will be
consequences. This government takes the anti-graft war as a
priority, as you well know, and this particular transaction is of
interest to us,” the official said.