Ikoyigate: Ex-NIA Boss, Wife To Be Docked Tomorrow

Almost 16 months after he was sacked from office for fraud and other related offences, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a four-count criminal charge against the former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Mrs. Folashade Oke.
The anti-graft agency filed the charges yesterday before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

It accused Oke and his wife of concealing the sum of $43,449, 947 belonging to the federal government in property, located at Flat 7B, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The EFCC also accused the couple of converting to personal use the sum of $1,658,000 belonging to the federal government, funds they reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act.

EFFC said that the offences contravened Section 15 (21(0) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

They will be arraigned tomorrow before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.

In count one, the EFFC alleged that Oke and his wife on or about the 12th April, 2017 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court indirectly conceded the sum of $43, 449, 947 property of the federal government in Flat 73 No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos which sum he reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (21(0) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the some Act.

The second count read that Oke and his wife between 25th August, 2015 and 2nd September, 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court indirectly used the sum of $1,658,000, property of the federal government to acquire Flat 75, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos which they ought to know was part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach and 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 some Act.

The third count read that Oke between 25th August,2015 and 2nd September, 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the court directly retained the sum of $160,777,136.85, property of the federal government he knew formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed on 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.

The last count stated that Oke between 25th August,2015 and 2nd September, 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the court directly converted the sum of $160,777,136.85, property of the federal government “thereto to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act and a criminal breach of trust” 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.

Premier  recalls that the Justice Saudi Saidu of the same court had on January 19, 2018 ordered the permanent forfeiture of the sums of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 allegedly kept in the Ikoyi flat by Oke and his wife.

When the lead was blown off the saga, President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2017 sacked Oke following the report of the investigations conducted by a panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, into allegations of fraud levelled against him.

EFCC Files N500m Fraud Charge Against Babachir Lawal
Also yesterday, EFCC filed a 10-count charge of fraud and fraudulent acquisition of properties against former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal and two other persons.

EFCC sources said he will be arraigned nextweek.
Also listed in the charge are Rholavision Engineering Ltd and Josmon Technologies Ltd, two companies allegedly used to perpetrate the contract fraud.
The charges were filed at a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Others listed as defendants in the case are the director of Rholavision Engineering Ltd, Hamidu, David Lawal, another staff of the company, Sulaiman Abubakar, and managing director of Josmon Technologies Ltd, Apeh Monday.

While Lawal allegedly awarded different contracts amounting to about N560million to companies where he held personal interest, his co-defendants were charged for abetting the SFG to own private interests in the companies and in the award of contracts to them.

The charges read: “That you Hamidu David Lawal being a director of Rholavision Engineering Ltd, Sulaiman Abubakar, being a staff of Rholavision Engineering Ltd, Apeh Monday John, being the managing director of Josmon Technologies Ltd and Rholavision Engineering Ltd on or about 4th March, 2016 in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did abet the holding indirectly of a private interest by Engineer Babachlr Davld Lawal in the award of contract to Josmon Technologies Ltd for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) through the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE) to the tune of N272,524,356.02 which Rholavision Engineering Ltd executed and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 12 of the same Act,” Count 9 of the charge reads.

According to charge dated 30th January, 2019, filed on the same day, Lawal conspired to commit an offence to wit: fraudulent acquisition of property, and indirectly holding private interest in yje award of contracts.

Count 7 reads: “That you, Engineer Babachir David Lawal while being the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and a director of Rholavision Engineering Ltd on or about the 4th March, 2016 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory did knowingly hold indirectly a private interest in the contract awarded to Josmon Technologies Ltd, but executed by Rholavislon Engineering Ltd for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation to the tune of N272,524,356.02 by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) through the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

A Senate ad-hoc committee on mounting humanitarian crisis in the Northeast had in December 2016 indicted Lawal for fraud in a contract awarded for the clearing of “invasive plant species” in Yobe State, through PINE.

The committee, chaired by Senator Sheu Sani alleged that PINE spent several millions of naira to cut grass.
Rholavision was said to have gotten suspicious payments of N200million from the contract. Sequel to the allegations, President Buhari in October 2017, relieved Babacahir of his duty as SGF and announced the appointment of Boss Gida Mustapha as his successor.

The Osinbajo panel also indicted him in its report.