Alleged Money Laundering: N1.5bn Used To Fund Jonathan’s Campaign – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has alleged
that a sum of N1.5 billion from the imprest account of the Ministry
of External Affairs with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was
used to fund the political campaign of former President Goodluck
Jonathan in 2015.

An investigator with the EFCC, Shuaibu Shehu, told the Federal
High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday that two former ministers and
some others, had transferred the sum to the former president.

Shehu is the third prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of
former Minister of Finance, Mrs Nenadi Usman, former Minister of
Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, Danjuma Yusuf and a company, Joint
Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited on allegations of laundering
N4.6bn.

He told Justice Rilwan Aikawa that he became familiar with the
charge against the defendants in February 2016, when a petition
over the alleged fraudulent transfer from the ministry’s account
was assigned to his team to investigate.

Mr Shehu said the EFCC’s investigation linked the former
minister, Mrs Nenadi Usman and the third defendant Danjuma Yusuf to
the account of Joint Trust Dimensions Ltd, where the money was
allegedly transferred to.

The witness added that further investigations also revealed that
the funds were then moved from the company’s account to fund former
President Jonathan’s political campaign in 2015.

He listed beneficiaries of the funds to include Ms Jumoke
Akinjide and Achike Udenwa.

The testimony of the witness was, however, cut short, when the
defence team raised objections to his narration on details of how
the funds in the company’s account were disbursed by the
defendants.

The defendants through their lawyers argued that the issue of
disbursement of funds was not part of the charge preferred against
them and the witness could not give evidence on same.

They, therefore, asked the court to expunge evidence given on
the issue.

Thereafter, Justice Aikawa, fixed February 20 and 21 to rule on
the objection raised by the defence team.

On the next adjourned date, the court will also hear an
application filed by Mrs Nenadi Usman, seeking permission to go
away to take care of her health.

The defendants are being arraigned on 17 charges of alleged N4.6
billion fraud.

They have, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In counts one to seven, they were alleged to have unlawfully
retained over N3.8bn which they reasonably ought to have known,
formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act of stealing and
corruption.

In counts eight to 14, the accused were alleged to have
unlawfully used over N970 million which they reasonably ought to
have known formed part of an unlawful act of corruption.

Meanwhile, in counts 15 to17, Fani-Kayode and one Olubode Oke
who is said to be at large, were alleged to have made cash payments
of about N30 million, in excess of the amount allowed by law,
without going through a financial institution.

Fani-Kayode was also alleged to have made payments to one Paste
Poster Co (PPC) of No 125 Lewis St., Lagos.

All offences were said to have contravened the provisions of
sections 15 (3) (4), 16 (2) (b), and 16 (5) of the Money laundering
(prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.