Alleged $40m fraud: Jonathan’s cousin’s, wife’s trial begins

 

Barring last-minute changes, the trial of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin,  Roberts Azibaola will begin today in Abuja.

Azibaola, his wife Stella and their firm will be arraigned for alleged payment of $40million into their company, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, by the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA).

Mrs. Stella Azibaola was taken into custody last night to join her husband in preparation for their arraignment before a Federal High Court in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed seven charges against the couple.

The charges were filed by Sylvanus Tahir and Jirbo Francis from the Legal and Prosecution Department  of the EFCC.

The EFCC  has  traced the source of the  $40million to a bank in London.

The cash was wired through Citibank N. A. Canada Square Canary in Wharf London E 145 LB into the account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited.

The $40million came from the account of the Special Services Office of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

The Special Services Office has a joint account with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and some security agencies, which was managed by ONSA.

The charges are as follows:

• That you Azibaola Robert being the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer and a signatory to the Zenith Bank account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert, being a director and a signatory to the account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited and Amobi Ogum( now at large) on or about 8th September, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit an illegal act to wit: money laundering of the sum of $40million transferred to the domiciliary account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited with Zenith Bank, Account No. 5070365750 from the account of ONSA with the Central Bank of Nigeria upon a mandate  Ref. No. 128/S.5LX/139 purporting to be for the supply of Tactical Communication Kits for Special Services and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
• That you, Azibaola Robert, Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert directly took control of $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million transferred to the domiciliary account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited with Zenith Bank, Account No. 5070365750 from the account of ONSA with the Central Bank of Nigeria upon a mandate  Ref. No. 128/S.5LX/139 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
• That you Azibaola Robert and Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert on or about 8th September 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court directly converted $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million transferred to the domiciliary account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
• That you Azibaola Robert and Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert did directly transfer $6,600,000 only  being part of the $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million to the bank account of Karahyna Nigeria Limited, a Bureau De Change company for Naira exchange, which you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
• That you Azibaola Robert and Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert did directly transfer the aggregate sum of $1million only being part of the $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million to the bank account of Reya Telecommunications Nigeria Limited, a sister company to One Plud Holdings Nigeria Limited, which you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
• That you Azibaola Robert and Mrs. Stella Azibaola Robert did directly transfer the aggregate sum of $1,493,000 only being part of the sum of $39.999,958 only out of the total sum of $40million to the bank account of Kakatar EL Limited, a sister to One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited which you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser ( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
• That you Azibaola Robert , being the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited on or about 27th May, 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court having reason to know that the sum of N650million only directly represented the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki(rtd), the then National Security Adviser( To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) in respect of the said amount used the said fund for the purchase of Plot 2245, situate at Maitama Cadastral Zone No. A06 Measuring about 2,482, 28sqm with File No. KN 10182, Abuja from one Nu’uman Barau Danbatta represented by Tunji Adeniyi and Co.( Estate Surveyors and Valuers) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.”