According to The Nation, All is set for the commencement of the trial of a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Haliru Bello Mohammed and his son, Abbah for alleged corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday. Operatives of the anti-graft agency yesterday arrested Abbah ahead of his arraignment and father.
However, Mohammed who at different times headed the Nigerian Customs Service and was Minister of Defence was said to be on admission in an Abuja hospital for an undisclosed illness last night. He was said to be too weak to report to the EFCC in preparation for his arraignment. Sources said the commission was monitoring Mohammed ’ health status.
Mohammed, according to sources, was implicated in the N31billion slush funds distributed to some PDP stalwarts for the 2015 election campaign by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
A former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd), a former Minister of State for Finance, Amb. Bashir Yuguda and eight others are currently on trial in two separate courts in the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Yuguda, in his statement, admitted paying about N300 million into the account of BAM Properties, which was provided by Haliru Mohammed. It was gathered that the slush funds in BAM Properties’ account had been traced to the ex-PDP National Chairman and his son.
It was gathered that the slush funds in BAM Properties’ account had been traced to the ex-PDP National Chairman and his son. It was learnt that about N600million was credited to Abbah and he would have to explain in court how he came about it and the purpose.
A top level source who is familiar with the case said: “We have reached an appreciable bend in our investigation of the former National Chairman of PDP and his son, Abbah. “Part of the $2.1billion meant for the purchase of arms has been traced to BAM Properties through authorization by the former PDP boss.
According to The Punch, The prosecution stated in the first count that the N300m collected by the accused was part of proceeds of Dasuki unlawful activity. Dasuki and many others are already being prosecuted before two judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in relation to diversion of the sum of N45bn meant for the procurement of arms.
The prosecution alleged in the second count that the accused received the money under the guise that it was meant for “Safe Houses” but was actually released to them for political campaign. Counts one and two are said to be offences contrary to Section15 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
In count three, the accused allegedly concealed the money in their Sterling Bank Plc. account when they “knew Doctor Aliyu Bello and Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd.) to be engaged in a criminal conduct.”
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 17 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 17 (b) of the same Act. Meanwhile, former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), may have found a serving or retired federal civil servant in the director cadre who owns N250m worth of property in Abuja to stand as bail surety for him.
Dasuki and some of his co-accused had been remanded in Kuje prison since December 21 over their inability to meet the bail conditions imposed by a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, with respect to charges of misappropriation of arms fund preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. With the breakthrough in the search for a surety, sources said Dasuki, who was moved along with others to Kuje prison on December 21, pending when he would meet the bail conditions, would on Tuesday present all necessary documents to complete the processing of the bail.
Dasuki and some of his co-accused were granted bail by Justice Baba Yusuf in the sum of N250m with one surety, who must be a retired or serving director in the Federal Civil Service or any of the Federal Government’s establishments on December 18.
Justice Yusuf, who granted the bail with respect to the 19 counts of misappropriation of N32bn preferred against Dasuki and others, had also ordered that each surety to be produced by the accused persons must own property in Abuja that was worth N250m.
Sources close to the ex-NSA told our correspondent that directors in the Federal Civil Service who own property worth as much as N250m that had been contacted were afraid of the possibility of being arrested by the EFCC to account for how they acquired such property.
The source said, “He (Dasuki) has found a surety. Due to the public holiday on Monday, we have to wait till Tuesday before we can present all the necessary documents and the verification ordered by the judge can be done. “We hope that the process can be completed on Tuesday to enable the judge sign the warrant that will release him from prison.”
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