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), Robert Mbonu.
The duo are to be arraigned
over the alleged conversion of N3.5 billion of N19 billion 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 arohibition 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 N300 million 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.''
The Akwa Ibom state
government slammed a N50 billion lawsuit against the EFCC for freezing its
accounts.
The state government in its
suit with suit No: FHE/UY/CS/137/18 said the accounts which have remained
frozen for 72 hours crippled both the economy and the reputation of the state.
The case is between the
attorney general of the state and its respondents are the EFCC, the attorney
general of the federation, Zenith Bank PLC, Skye Bank PLC and United Bank for
Africa PLC.
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