Erinomo, is the Principal Compliance Officer at the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering in the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investments.

Testifying on Thursday as the first prosecution witness in the money laundering charge brought against Malabu Oil and Aliyu Abubakar, a businessman, Erinomo told the court that Malabu Oil was registered as a consultancy firm.

Other defendants in the suit are A-Group Construction Company Limited, Rocky Top Resources Limited, Mega Tech Engineering Limited, Novel Properties and Development Company Limited, Imperial Union Limited and Carlin International Nigeria Limited.

The witness, who was led in evidence by Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, prosecuting counsel, Bala Sanga added that the other companies allegedly linked to Abubakar, were registered to carry out construction activities.

According to the witness, considering the status of the six firms as construction and consultancy firms, they were designated by the Ministry of Trade and Investments as Designated Non-Financial Institutions, DNFI.

He said that such firms were designated as DNFI in 2013 because of their high tendency of being used for money laundering.

The witness further explained that the DNFI firms were mandated by the Money Laundering Prohibition Act to, among others, be registered with the ministry.

He also said they were to submit statutory reports of their activities and declare qualified transactions to the ministry and the EFCC.

The witness also said that the firms were also required by law to put in place anti-money laundering measures, set up an internal audit to measure the effectiveness of the measures, and appoint a compliance officer from the members of the management staff.

“We found out that these companies have not made any declaration to the ministry in compliance with the Act.

“We also found out that they do not submit their statutory reports to the ministry and the EFCC and have not made the declaration of their activities to the ministry.

“They do not have record of measures they have taken to combat money laundering.

“They do not have internal audit unit to measure the effectiveness of the measures they have taken to combat money laundering.

“They also do not carry out training for their staff on anti-money laundering measures and we have uncovered several transactions which were not reported to EFCC,” he said.

While being cross-examined by Mr J.A. Achimugu, the witness said that he did not visit Malabu’s office or invite its staff, before arriving at his findings, because he was not mandated to do so.

The witness also tendered reports of his findings which were admitted in evidence.

The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, adjourned the matter until October 27 for continuation of cross-examination.

Abubakar and the other defendants are standing trial on 67 counts of money laundering involving about 800 million dollars instituted by the EFCC.

Source: NAN

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Adoke is being charged alongside Rasky Gbinigie, A. Abubakar, Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Shell Ultra Deep Limited and Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Limited.

The Federal Government, in a document with charge number CR/151/2020 dated January 14 and filed on January 15, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, accused Adoke and others of receiving gratification to allegedly carry out a fraudulent oil deal.

According to the Federal Government, as Attorney-General, Adoke mediated controversial agreements that ceded OPL 245 to Shell and Eni who in turn paid about $1.1 billion dollars to accounts controlled by former Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete.

News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Etete, now at large, was a former Petroleum minister under the regime of General Sani Abacha.

NAN also reports that Bello Adoke, since he left the country after the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, returned into the country on December 19, 2019 from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and was arrested by the operatives of the EFCC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He is being charged by the anti-graft agency on alleged abuse of office and money laundering in respect of the granting of the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 to Shell and ENI.

According to the charge, the former AGF in August 2013 in Abuja while serving as a minister knowingly received United State Dollars equivalent of N300million which is reasonably suspected of having been unlawfully obtained and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 319A of the Penal Code, Cap. 532laws of the federation of Nigeria 1990.

The suit, signed by Bala Sanga on behalf of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, further said that one of the accused persons, Rasky Gbinigie conspired with Munamuna Seidougha (at large), Amaran Joseph (at large) and Dauzia Loya Etete (at large), sometime in 2013, in Abuja, dishonestly used as genuine the forged form CAC 7 and Board Resolution of Malabu Oil and Gas Limited and the letter of resignation of one Mohammed Sani to open a Bank Account No. 2018288005 with First Bank of Nigeria Plc to receive the sum of $401. 5 million.

According to the charge, the accused persons committed an offence contrary to section 366 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same section of the Penal Code.

In count seven, Adoke was said to have in September 2013 knowingly and unlawfully obtained the sum of US dollars equivalent to N367,318,800 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 319A of the Penal Code, Cap.532 laws of the federation of Nigeria, 1990.

In the charge, Gbinigie, the company secretary of Malabu Oil was said to have made false resignation letter signed by one Alhaji Hassan Hindu as having resigned from the Board of Malabu Oil and Gas Limited with intent to commit fraud.

Some of the charges, among others, read: “That you, Mohammed Bello Adoke, being a public servant at the material time, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice of the Government of Nigeria, sometime in August 2013, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court was in possession and custody of the sum of N300m reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained and thereby committed an offence under section 319A of the Penal Code and punishable under the same section of the Penal Code.

“That you, Mohammed Bello Adoke, being a public servant at the material time, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice of the Government of Nigeria, sometime in 2013, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, accepted for yourself without consideration, the sum of N300m to broker the negotiation and signing of the Block 245 Resolution Agreement with Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited and thereby committed an offence under section 119 of the Penal Code and Punishable under the same section of the Penal Code.”

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The warrant was issued by Justice D.Z. Senchi of Jabi Federal High Court, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, prosecuting the case.

The EFCC also got a warrant to arrest Raph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujato Stefeno, and Burrato Sebastiano.

All the wanted men were meant to be arraigned before Justice Senchi on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 to face charges related to the Malabu Oil scandal but failed to show up.

The EFCC had since 2017 pressed charges against Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Co. Ltd, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Eni Spa, Raph Wetzels, Casula Roberto, Pujato Stefeno, Burrato Sebastiano, Duazia Louya Etete (aka Dan Etete), Mohammed Bello Adoke, Aliyu Abubakar and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited.

All the defendants declared wanted had repeatedly failed to appear before the court.

In view of their persistent absence in court, the EFCC had through its counsel, Aliyu Yusuf, brought a motion ex parte praying the court for a warrant of their arrest, and an order for leave to execute the warrant outside of the jurisdiction of the court.

At today’s proceeding, Justice Senchi, granted the prayers of the EFCC, and ruled that the Nigeria Police, the INTERPOL and any other law enforcement agency should arrest them anywhere they were found including outside jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) High Court.

The matter was adjourned till July 11, 2019 for further hearing.

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