EFCC BEGINS TRIAL OF FORMER NIA BOSS, WIFE FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING OVER $43 MILLION AND OTHER MONEY BELONGING TO FG

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) gathered more intelligence sometimes ago than the former Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayodele Oke, when millions of Dollars were found in his Ikoyi private home, suspected to have been bought with another “dubious” money.

The anti-graft agency didn’t stop there, but went ahead to gather more intelligence sufficient enough to nail the former NIA boss and his wife on how they diverted millions of Dollar to their own private pockets.

                    

EFCC disclosed that the ex-NIA boss and his wife Folasade will be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos, if found guilty, they may be jailed in line with Money Laundering Act.

Their arraignment is in connection with the $43, 449, 947, 000 intercepted in a flat. The cash was founded in Flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers in Ikoyi Lagos.

                   

A judge of the Federal High Court in Lagos, Justice Muslim Hassan, had on June 6, 2017 granted a final forfeiture order of the funds since no one appeared before the court to claim them, reported The Nation.

Although Oke had denied the allegation of concealment, the EFCC is proceeding ahead with his trial alongside his wife.
The four-count charge against the couple was signed by prosecuting lawyers including Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa; Nnaemeka Omewa and Idris Abubakar Mohammed.

                    

For the first time, the EFCC in the Proof of Evidence revealed how Flat 7B was bought for $1, 658,000 (N596, 880,000)
It said one Alhaji Shehu Usman Anka will give evidence of the receipt of the sum of $1, 658,000 from the wife of the ex-NIA boss.

The anti-graft agency also said that the agency got about $289, 202, 382.00 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

It added that one Benjamin Kiksenenso will give evidence of how he was instructed to go to the CBN to collect the $289, 202, 382.00.

The charges against the ex-NIA boss are:
That you, Amb.  Ayodele Oke, Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke on or about the 12th day of April 2017 in Lagos concealed the sum of $43, 449, 947, 000 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria in Flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi Lagos which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

That you Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court indirectly used the sum of $1, 658, 000 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to acquire Flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi Lagos which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

That you Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court directly retained $160, 777, 136. 85 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

That you Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court directly converted $160, 777, 136. 85 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Final Thought
Fight against corruption is one of the campaign promises of the President Muhammadu Buhari who is seeking a second term, this case is coming at a time Nigerians will be going to the polls less than three weeks.

Will Oke and his wife go to jail if found guilty to have stolen government money or will it be one of several cases that ended up being adjourned over and over again?