Court papers have detailed how oil businessmen, Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Jide Omokore allegedly laundered $1.7 billion from the controversial oil swap transactions between them and the NNPC, during the tenure of Diezani Alison-Madueke as Minister of Petroleum.
According to an affidavit sworn to at the Federal High Court by Isaac Kehinde Oginni, a lawyer in the Federal Ministry of Justice, both Aluko and Omokore lifted and sold Nigeria’s crude oil.
While they were paid for their service, they deliberately diverted to private use, what was due to the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria, in the sum of $1,762,338,184.40.
*They bought vehicles with a combined value of over N800million and donated them to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its then National chairman Prince Secondus.
*They also bought vehicles valued at over N130million and gave them as gifts to former minister of Petroleum, Mrs Dieziani Alison-Madueke and some other management staff of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
*Kolawole Aluko paid $18,548,619.99 and N1,070,000,000 to FBN Mortgages Limited as part payment for block A consisting of 26 Flats at 46 Gerrard Road Ikoyi Lagos. The block was bought for a total cost of N5,210,520,315.
*Payment of a total sum of $25,839,606.77and N95,000,000 was made to Real Bank for the purpose of part financing the acquisition and renovation of properties by the Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited (AEDC) and Atlantic Energy Brass Development limited (AEBD).
”The Properties are: Mason apartments at 6 Gerrard Road Ikoyi Lagos comprising 60 units of 3 bedrooms apartment valued at $78,000,000, Marion apartments Block 8 located at 4&5,Onikoyi Estate, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos consisting of 43 units of apartments valued at $76,160,000, apartments at 33A Cooper Road Ikoyi, Lagos renovated at a total cost of $4,937,750, Admiralty Towers at 8 Gerrard Road Ikoyi, Lagos., which was also renovated.
The two businessmen also transferred $69,912,981.15 to the following companies ;Mia Hotels Limited, First Motors Limited, V.I.Petrochemicals, Evergreen Reality &Management, WIz Trade limited, DE First Union Integrated Services and Amity Plus limited.
Mr Ogini also averred that Kolawole Aluko literally took residence outside the shores of Nigeria, to embark on a spending spree and assets acquisition in Britain, Canada, United States and Switzerland.
Among the assets acquired were houses at: Grove End Road, London NW; 755 Sarbone Road, Los Angeles;952 North Alpine drive Los Angeles;815 Cima Del Mundo. He also bought land at 807 Coma Del Mundo in Los Angeles.
Aluko also bought houses or apartments at1049 Fifth Avenue, New York, 1948&1952 Tolls Avenue, Santa Barbara,157 West 57th St,New York , 4100 Let Revenge, Dubai. In Nigeria, he bought Avenue Towers in Lagos. He also bought a piece of land in Mont Tremblat, Canada and a property at Colina D’oro Montagnola, Switzerland
After hiding his loot in many assets, he also bought the luxury $80million yacht, the Galactica Star, 58 exotic cars, expensive watches, private jets, Global Express S5-GMG and a Bombardier Global 6000 9H-OPE.
Cash found in his bank accounts, according to documents before the court are: LDT Switzerland -$25million, Corner Bank, Lugano, Switzerland - $ 1million, Deutsche Bank, Geneva - $40million, HSBC London $175,000.
He also had 75% shareholding in Atlantic Energy Drilling concepts Nigeria and Atlantic Energy Brass Development and 10% Shareholding in Seven Energy.
The case came before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos state last Friday, the same day the US Justice Department filed a forfeiture bid at a court in Houston.
The Nigerian judge, however, adjourned hearing till 29th of September, 2017 to decide whether to stay proceeding in tune with an application filed by the defendants or continue with the case.
댓글