The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Thursday told the
Federal High Court in Abuja, that payment for $40million contract that
was awarded to Azibaola Robert, cousin to former President Goodluck
Jonathan was dully approved by the presidency.
Azibola and his wife, Stella, are currently answering to a
seven-count criminal charge the EFCC preferred against their firm,
Oneplus Holdings Limited.
At the resumed hearing, the 10th Prosecution witness, PW-10, in the
case, Mr. David Mkpe, who is an EFCC operative that investigated the
deal between the company and the Office of the National Security
Adviser, NSA, told trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba that he was aware of a
Presidential memo approving both the contract and payment for the job.
Mkpe, who was cross examined by the defence counsel, Mr. Chris Uche,
SAN, told the court that his investigative team case across the memo
from the ONSA, which he said okayed the payment of $40 million to
Oneplus Holdings Ltd.
Asked if he saw the memo from ONSA through which the payment of $40m
was made to Oneplus account, Mkpe replied, “Yes, my lord. The payment
was duly authorised by the NSA.”
He said: “My lord funds from which the $40m was paid to Oneplus came
from NNPC funds. In March 2014, Lt-Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) wrote a memo
to the President entitled “Intervention in Urgent National Security
Project” through which he sought the approval of Mr. President for the
sum of $1bn for subheads and surveillance of pipelines and additional
request for $250m.
“The President gave approval to his request. The President approved
the release of the sum of $1.2bn. In May the sum of $1.2bn was then
released from NNPC accounts.
“ It was this fund that was disbursed to various recipients. The $40m
was part of the $1.2bn statutorily approved and released for urgent
national security intervention. I can confirm.”
The offence, according to the EFCC, contravenes Section 8(a) of the
Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and
punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
Justice Nnamd Dimgba has adjourned the trial to 22 and 23 January
2018 to enable the defence to cross-examine more of the prosecution
witnesses.