The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(
EFCC) is set for the trial of Gbenga Makanjuola, deputy chief of staff to the
Senate President Bukola Saraki and a former Managing Director of
Societe
Generale Bank of Nigeria( SGBN), Mr. Robert Mbonu.The duo are to be arraigned over the alleged
conversion of N3.5billion of N19billion London-Paris Club refund to states.
The other accused are Melrose General Services
Limited and Obiora Amobi. No date has been fixed for the trial of the suspects
at a Federal High Court in Lagos, TheNation newspaper reported today.
Following protests by states over deductions for
external debt service between 1995 and 2002, President Muhammadu Buhari
approved the release of N522.74 billion (first tranche) refund to them, pending
reconciliation of records.
Each state was entitled to N14.5 billion or 25
per cent of the amount claimed.
The release of the cash was trailed by a huge
controversy, including payment of N19billion consultancy fees and $86million
into the accounts of the NGF.
The EFCC in the last two years has been
investigating the alleged diversion of the N19billion under the guise of
consultancy fees, including the N3.5billion, which was allegedly remitted to
Melrose General Services Limited, allegedly with links to Mbonu.
About $183,000 of the N3.5billion was transferred
to a Dubai jeweler patronised by some senators.
In the charges against the suspects, the EFCC
said there was no service rendered to have warranted the payment of the
N3.5billion.
The charges read in part: “That you Robert
Chidozie Mbonu, Melrose General Services Limited and other persons at large on
or about the 14th day of December, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of
this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to disguise the unlawful origin
of the sum of N3.5billion paid into the account of Melrose General Services
Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 of the Money
Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and
punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
“That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu and Melrose
General Services Limited having reason to know that N3.5billion directly
represented the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: Conspiracy and
Stealing: did convert the said funds which you received from the Nigeria
Governors Forum under the false guise that you were entitled to payment of
consultancy fees from money recovered for the states in relation to
“over-deductions on Paris and London club loans on the account of the states
and local government (1995-2002)” which service you did not render and thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering
Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under
section 15 (3) of the same Act.
“That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu and Melrose
General Services Limited on or about the 14th December, 2016 in Lagos within
the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain in the Access Bank Plc
Account No. 0005892453 operated by Melrose General Services Limited the sum of
N3, 500,000,000.00 received from the Nigeria Governors Forum when you
reasonably ought to know that the said money was a direct proceed of your
unlawful activity to wit Conspiracy and Stealing: and thereby committed an
offence contrary to section 15(2) ((1) 0f the Money Laundering Prohibition Act,
2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15 (3) of
the same Act.
“That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu and Melrose
General Services Limited on or about the 20th of December, 2015 in Lagos wihln
the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did transfer the sum 0f N50m being
part of N3.5billion which represented the direct proceed of your unlawful
activity to wit: (Conspiracy and Stealing) to Gbenga Makanjuola and thereby committed
an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition
Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 15 (3)
of the same Act.
That you Gbenga Makanjuola on or about the 20th
of December, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did
make cash payment of the sum of N50, 000,000.00 (Fifty million naira) to Robert
Chidozie Mbonu without going through a financial institution and thereby
committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) of the Money Laundering
Prohibition Act, 201 1 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under
section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.
“That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu on or about the
20th of December, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court
did accept cash payment of the sum of N50million from Gbenga Makanjuola without
going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary
to section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by
Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of‘ the same Act.
“That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu and Melrose
General Services Limited between the 15th December 2016 and 17th December, 2016
in Lagos Within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did transfer the sum
of N300million being part of N3.5billion which represented the direct proceed
of your unlawful activity (to wit Conspiracy and Stealing) to Obiora Amobi and
thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (b) of the Money
Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and
punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
“That you Obiora Amobi between the 15th December
2016 and 17th December, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court did make cash payment of N300million to Robert Chidozie Mbonu
without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence
contrary to section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as
amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of the
same Act.
“That you Robert Chidozie Mbonu on or about the
20th of December, 2016 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable
Court did accept cash payment of N300million from Obiora Amobi without going
through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to
section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act
No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.
Source: The Nation
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