Money laundering: Court remands ex-Adamawa gov, Fintiri, in Kuje Prison
Fintiri was docked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge bordering on money laundering.
Specifically, he was alleged to have defrauded the state government to the tune of N970 million and another $4, 830 dollars while he held sway as the chief executive of the state.
The defendant, however pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
His counsel, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), applied for his bail on the grounds that the alleged offence was a bailable one.
Magaji premised his argument for bail on section 35 subsection 6 of the 1999 Constitution which presumes his client innocent until proven guilty.
He also relied on sections 158 and 163 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, in urging the court to admit the defendant to bail.
Magaji assured the court that Fintiri would not jump bail and that he would always be available to defend himself and urged the court to admit his client to bail.
In opposing the bail application, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Peters Aso referred the court to a document filed by the defence concerning a medical issue of the defendant.
Aso, in his argument he said it appeared that Fintiri had lied on oath, since the date which he said the doctor examined him was different from the date he said the doctor told him of his ailment.
The prosecuting counsel said although he was not a medical personal, he believed that one was examined before he was told of his health.
He also prayed the court to deny the bail application on the grounds that he was sure the defendant would come for trial if granted bail.
Trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed fixed ruling on the bail application for tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the EFCC, on Wednesday, told a Federal High Court in Lagos how a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, took money from the Nigerian Air Force bank account to buy personal property worth billions of naira.
Mr. Amosu, a retired Air Marshal, was arraigned alongside Jacob Adigun, an Air Vice Marshal, and Gbadebo Olugbenga, an Air Commodore, on a 26-count charge of stealing N50 billion. Also arraigned with the trio before Justice Mohammed Idris were their companies, Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd; McAllan Oil and Gas Ltd; Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd; Trapezites BDC; Fonds and Pricey Ltd; Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd; Timsegg Investment Ltd; and Solomon Health Care Ltd.
According to the charge sheet, Amosu and Mr. Adigun, a former Head of Accounts and Budgeting at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), allegedly removed sums running into billions of naira from NAF’s bank account to purchase property for themselves in choice locations in Abuja, Lagos and London.
The five count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR /131/2016 and signed by Sylvanus Tahir of the legal and prosecution department of the EFCC reads:
That you, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayin Construction and Properties Ltd on or about October 2, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did indirectly disguise the origin of the sum of N80,000.000.00 only transfered from an account number 0313000301 domiciled at Eco Bank Plc operated by Timeplex Nigeria into account number 5742019591 domiciled at Eco Bank Plc operated by Mayim Construction and properties Ltd which sum you know is proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) 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, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayin Construction and Properties Ltd on or about October 2, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did indirectly disguise the origin of the sum of N120,000.000.00 only transfered from an account number 0313000301 domiciled at Eco Bank Plc operated by Timeplex Nigeria into account number 5742019591 domiciled at Eco Bank Plc operated by Mayim Construction and properties Ltd which sum you know is proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) 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, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) sometimes in July 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did without using Financial Institution make cash payment of N220,000.000.00 only to Hashim Dikko for the purchase of plot number 7 Gana Street, Maitama Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.
That you, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayim Construction and properties Ltd on or about the 9th October, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did indirectly disguise the origin of the aggregate sum of N550, 000.000.00 through a term loan of twelve months purportedly granted to you by ECO Bank Plc for the acquisition of a tea plantation farm from Nigeria Agricultural bank as acting Governor of Adamawa State from sum which you know form part of proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
you, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayim Construction and properties Ltd between the 3rd of June 2014 and August 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did retain in your US Dollars account number 5742019601 domicile at Eco bank plc the aggregate sum of $4,830.000.00 550, 000.000.00 which you know form part of proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
Specifically, he was alleged to have defrauded the state government to the tune of N970 million and another $4, 830 dollars while he held sway as the chief executive of the state.
The defendant, however pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
His counsel, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), applied for his bail on the grounds that the alleged offence was a bailable one.
Magaji premised his argument for bail on section 35 subsection 6 of the 1999 Constitution which presumes his client innocent until proven guilty.
He also relied on sections 158 and 163 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, in urging the court to admit the defendant to bail.
Magaji assured the court that Fintiri would not jump bail and that he would always be available to defend himself and urged the court to admit his client to bail.
In opposing the bail application, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Peters Aso referred the court to a document filed by the defence concerning a medical issue of the defendant.
Aso, in his argument he said it appeared that Fintiri had lied on oath, since the date which he said the doctor examined him was different from the date he said the doctor told him of his ailment.
The prosecuting counsel said although he was not a medical personal, he believed that one was examined before he was told of his health.
He also prayed the court to deny the bail application on the grounds that he was sure the defendant would come for trial if granted bail.
Trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed fixed ruling on the bail application for tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the EFCC, on Wednesday, told a Federal High Court in Lagos how a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, took money from the Nigerian Air Force bank account to buy personal property worth billions of naira.
Mr. Amosu, a retired Air Marshal, was arraigned alongside Jacob Adigun, an Air Vice Marshal, and Gbadebo Olugbenga, an Air Commodore, on a 26-count charge of stealing N50 billion. Also arraigned with the trio before Justice Mohammed Idris were their companies, Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd; McAllan Oil and Gas Ltd; Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd; Trapezites BDC; Fonds and Pricey Ltd; Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd; Timsegg Investment Ltd; and Solomon Health Care Ltd.
According to the charge sheet, Amosu and Mr. Adigun, a former Head of Accounts and Budgeting at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), allegedly removed sums running into billions of naira from NAF’s bank account to purchase property for themselves in choice locations in Abuja, Lagos and London.
The five count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR /131/2016 and signed by Sylvanus Tahir of the legal and prosecution department of the EFCC reads:
That you, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayin Construction and Properties Ltd on or about October 2, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did indirectly disguise the origin of the sum of N80,000.000.00 only transfered from an account number 0313000301 domiciled at Eco Bank Plc operated by Timeplex Nigeria into account number 5742019591 domiciled at Eco Bank Plc operated by Mayim Construction and properties Ltd which sum you know is proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) 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, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayin Construction and Properties Ltd on or about October 2, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did indirectly disguise the origin of the sum of N120,000.000.00 only transfered from an account number 0313000301 domiciled at Eco Bank Plc operated by Timeplex Nigeria into account number 5742019591 domiciled at Eco Bank Plc operated by Mayim Construction and properties Ltd which sum you know is proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) 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, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) sometimes in July 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did without using Financial Institution make cash payment of N220,000.000.00 only to Hashim Dikko for the purchase of plot number 7 Gana Street, Maitama Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.
That you, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayim Construction and properties Ltd on or about the 9th October, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did indirectly disguise the origin of the aggregate sum of N550, 000.000.00 through a term loan of twelve months purportedly granted to you by ECO Bank Plc for the acquisition of a tea plantation farm from Nigeria Agricultural bank as acting Governor of Adamawa State from sum which you know form part of proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
you, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayim Construction and properties Ltd between the 3rd of June 2014 and August 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did retain in your US Dollars account number 5742019601 domicile at Eco bank plc the aggregate sum of $4,830.000.00 550, 000.000.00 which you know form part of proceeds of an unlawful act; to wit: bribery and corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2), (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
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