Michael Wetkas, a detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday narrated how Senate President Bukola Saraki allegedly used fictitious names to launder billions of naira.
Testifying against the senate president at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), the EFCC detective also claimed that Saraki’s personal account at GTB had an inflow of about N4 billion between 2005 and 2013.
“When the defendant was governor of Kwara state between 2003 and 2011. The commission received several petitions from various groups. One of the petitioners was Kwara Freedom Network. They brought several petitions all bordering on abuse of office by the defendant, misappropriation of public fund and money laundering.
“Sometime in 2014 the then executive chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde received intelligence reports of suspicious transactions involving the defendant. He set up a team of investigators. Our task was to investigate the intelligence reports.
“The investigation report was reviewed by my team. In the course of our investigation, we discovered that there were several companies which were linked to the defendant. Some of them include Carlisle Properties Investment Ltd, Skyview Properties Ltd, LimKvars Ltd, and TIly-lie Ltd.
Some of the companies maintain accounts at Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Zenith Bank, Access Bank, and other banks.
“From the investigation, it was discovered that the defendant maintained three accounts at GTB.
The first account is a naira currency account; the second is a US dollar account, and the third is a pound sterling account.
“The naira account was analyzed, and it was discovered that between 2005 and 2013, the account had an in-flow of about N4 billion. The major source of in-flow into the accounts was loans taken from GTB within the period. The loans were about N2.5 billion, and the other source of in-flows into the account was massive lodgments by individuals. Other in flows into the account were from the companies.
“It was discovered that money was used for the purchase of property. The dollar account was also analyzed. The major source of in-flow into the dollar account was Tily-lie Properties Ltd, which was about $2m. Another source was from Bureau de Change companies.
And the rest was cash lodgments by individuals. The cash in the dollar account between 2009 and 2013 was $6m. We discovered that up to $3.4m was wired to American Express Services Europe Limited, which was used to fund the defendant’s American Express Service New York card account number 374588216836009.
“The defendant wired over 1.5m pound sterling to Fortis Bank for the purchase of property in the UK.
“After that, because of the suspicious in-flows into the account, the bank (GTB) officials were invited. The reason for the invitation of the officials was that some of the individuals who were making the cash lodgment into the account were bank officials. One Oluwa Tujimu reported to the commission. From our of interactions with him, we discovered that some of the lodgments were made through a superior at the bank, Bayo Daudu, who was the relationship manager of the account. In our interaction with Daudu, it was discovered the cash sums were handed over to him by the defendant for lodgment in the account.
According to Daudu, he goes to Kwara state government house to collect the money from the defendant for lodgment into the account at the GRA Ilorin branch of GTB.
“We discovered one name, Abdul Adama, who made transaction 50 times into the account in a single day. The sum was broken down to N600, 000 and N900,000, and was lodged in the same day.
Subsequently, after that one Ubi made a lodgment on the same day about 20 times in the same range of N600, 000 and N900, 000. We looked for Adama and invited him. He reported that the cash sums were handed over to him by the defendant and stated further that the cash sums that were lodge in by Ubi into the same account were from the accused.
“Adama and Ubi were personal assistants to the accused while he was governor.
Further investigations revealed that other individuals who made lodgments into the account were fictitious.
“GTB said they had done the needful by reporting the suspicious transactions to FIU.”
Saharareporters report.
Na wah....But is it that aside from having served as governor and coming from a wealthy Family,this man had no other source of livelihood to have made some of these monies?...Meeeeen,I dont know but all these evidences coming up against him shows that some mighty toes have been stepped on.....Saraki Sir,this isnt going to be easy for you to wriggle out!
That's huge. But den We all reading this will do worst.
ReplyDeleteSo it is ok then? His arrest will make you and your like think twice
DeleteAll these coming up because ome people didn't want him as senate president.
ReplyDeleteSaraki, the Lord is your strength
*some
DeleteWhat is wrong with y'all? Honestly, the issue is and always should be about the crime committed. And I used to think you were one of the sensible ones
DeleteYou are a moron.
DeleteLook beyond that. You know he's been mentioned now in the international money laundry ring in Panama that involved powerful politicians and their associates around the world.. No matter how long it takes, all these will still be revealed.
DeleteIf all these revelation were cooked up, how about the fresh Panama laundry that just came to light through a German investigative journalist.
Shut up child. Don't make me insult you
Deleteplease don't use the name of the Lord in vain.... but just so you and other clueless ppl know, it was PDP that filed the petition against saraki when he left the party a couple years ago...
DeleteTo call her a moron is putting it lightly..
DeleteChai!!! People are mean!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIf this is true then Sasaki us wucked!!
Tell me If there are no poor people in his community.
Oseni
ReplyDeleteStella evidence has no plural. Please correct your gbagaun
ReplyDeleteWell..am not a lover of any political personnel but the question is...
ReplyDeleteCan a man or woman(country) who has been on sick bed for over 48 to 50years be healed within a twinkle of an eye?
Anyway,am very sure if there is any political analyst here,u will agree wit me that,all this are done just to hold dis man still cuz Saraki tend to defect to PDP so as to contest for the presidential candidate...
Mc pinky
Obviously you no sense. How will nigerians progress when some of its citizens don't see anything wrong in corruption? So you'll be happy with this kind of thief leading you!?
DeleteThe issue should not be whether a thief stepped on mighty toes or not. Rather it should be about which of the filthiest jails he deserves and how close to a lifetime his jail term should be.
ReplyDeleteWho thief mus smell romance jail depending on hin level of 'thiefery'.
The tire me...ignorant and dark minded people everywhere... who cares if he stepped on toes? The paramount thing is that previously seemingly intouchable people are being made to face the consequences of their actions by hook or by croook...simple and short.
DeleteThe issue should not be whether a thief stepped on mighty toes or not. Rather it should be about which of the filthiest jails he deserves and how close to a lifetime his jail term should be.
ReplyDeleteWho thief mus romance jail depending on hin level of 'thiefery'.
@ Stells, I thought he was your boo. Side eyes
ReplyDeleteNext.....
ReplyDeleteJoseph of Arimathea
ReplyDeleteStory story!
ReplyDeleteEFCC should also compare Saraki s money with Tinubu s own. Let us know who really enriched himself with public fund.
JESU!
ReplyDeleteAnd they want to rest in peace when they die prematurely?? Wicked man!!
ReplyDeleteHaa gbogbo owo wa ni kwara ni Bukky ti ko. Baba je, omo tun run iyi toku, hmmmm o ga o. Huge deposit on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteNot surprised by the revelations. He is the true son of his father & only carrying on with the legacy left behind by Dr Olusola Saraki himself.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to Societe Generale in Nigeria?
The Sarakis have been bleeding Kwara state dry since 1900 & sure they have the younger generation in waiting to take over & continue with the looting.
Sadly after all is said & done, he will probably get away with it.
Speechless. No comment.
ReplyDeleteN2.5bn loan from Gtbank yet most SMES are struggling to survive.
ReplyDeleteIt is well
GOD ll continue exposing all nigeria thieves one by one
ReplyDeleteStory story. So why r they just talking now? Mtchewwww
ReplyDeleteIn a sane country, this man would have resigned.
ReplyDeleteTHEIR NAME IS EFCC, TALK IS THEIR JOB, INVESTIGATION IS THEIR WALK AND PROSECUTION IS THEIR PERSECUTION. ARISE O' COMPATRIOT, NIGERIA CALL DISOBEY.
ReplyDelete