As part of the ongoing probe and preparation for the arraignment of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, some investigators from the United Kingdom have visited Nigeria to gather evidence.
The ex-minister is under investigation over the missing $20billion oil cash, phoney crude oil lifting contracts, $115million poll bribery money, the $1.092b Malabu oil deal and the N5.2billion ($25m) oil cash paid by an Indian oil firm for an oil block
The UK team inspected the former minister’s multi-billion naira mansion, her £600,000 exotic wrist watch and gold and diamond jewelry which have been confiscated.
The commission may attach some assets of the ex-minister under the Interim Forfeiture Order in Sections 26 and 29 of the EFCC Act.
The UK investigators came into the country as part of the build-up to the trial of the ex-minister in London.
Mrs Alison-Madueke and four others were arrested in London on October 2, 2015 by the National Crime Agency( NCA).
The NCA said all the suspects were released on “conditional police bail, pending further investigation both in the UK and overseas”.
A source, who confirmed the visit said it was the “continuation of the London end of the investigation of the ex-minister.”
Besides restricting her movement to the UK, a London (Westminster Magistrate’s Court) on Marylebone Road had approved the seizure of $41,000 (£27,000) cash from Mrs Alison-Madueke.
“With the outcome of the fact-finding mission of the UK team, I think so far, the investigation has reached a convenient bend for the prosecution of the ex-minister,” the source said, pleading not to be named because of the “sensitivity” of the matter.
An EFCC source confirmed that the former minister’s accounts in some major banks had been frozen. “It is too early to disclose the amounts involved in order not to prejudice investigation. We are discovering more on daily basis as some complicit banks are now cooperating,” he said, adding:
“We are allowed by law to place suspicious accounts and assets under interim forfeiture until the court decides otherwise.
“We are collaborating with anti-graft agencies in other jurisdictions on her case.”
Credit: Nation
