EFCC arraigns companies fingered in $15, 591, 700 USD money laundering

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, arraigned three companies allegedly used to perpetrate fraud by a former Senior Special Assistant to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Mr. Warpamo Owei Emmanuel Dudafa,

The three companies, Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, and Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited were charged alongside one Sombre Omeibi, who is said at large.

The anti-graft agency in the charge, alleged that the defendants had in November 13, 2013, conspired among themselves to indirectly retain the sum of $15, 591, 700 USD, which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceed of an unlawful act.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, are contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
There was a twist of event, when the Directors of the companies namely; Agbo Micheal, Friday Davis, and one Fredrick, who had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges, changed their plea and denied having any relationship with the accused companies.
One of the alleged Directors, Friday Davis, whom the Commission said his name was used for registering Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and also used to open bank accounts for the company, denied being a director in the company.
Friday told the court that it is true that he was a driver to the first accused person in the charge, Mr. Sombre Omeibi, but denied having any knowledge that his name and passport photograph was used to commit the alleged offence.
He further told the court that he became aware of the company and the account when he was taken to the Commission (EFCC Office), where he became aware of the allegation against him.

He consequently denied the charge, and changed his plea to not guilty.
The other Directors equally denied having any relationship or knowledge of the accused companies.

Prior to the changing of plea by the alleged directors, the prosecution witness, Mr. Abraham Tukura, during the review of fact of the charge, had informed the court that the three men had stated in the statement that they are not directors to the companies, and that they never gave out their passport photographs for registration of any company or opening of account at any bank for the accused companies.

Upon the evidence given by the prosecution witness, and the statement of the alleged directors , the presiding judge, Justice AbdulAziz Anka declined to pronounce the three companies guilty as requested by the prosecutor, on the ground that the prosecution has not established substantial link between the accused companies and the three persons presented by EFCC as the alter ego to the accused companies.

Following the change of plea by the alleged directors, the prosecutor, Mr. Oyedepo urged the court to adjourn the case for trial. The suit was consequently adjourned to Thursday.

It would be recalled that Dadufa, a Senior Special Assistant to former President Jonathan, and two other accused persons, Joseph Nna who is also known as Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah, are standing trial before Justice Mohammed Idris, of Federal High Court Lagos for alleged N5.1 billion fraud.

They were alleged to have used the three accused companies and others to perpetrate the alleged offence between June 11, 2013, and June 2015.