The embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki has been fingered in the transfer of illicit funds to the cousin of former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who is standing trial over a massive fraud case of $40 million.
The yesterday court hearing of the trial of Azibaola Robert, a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan has progressed with a staggering revelation of how millions of dollars were wired into the bank account of the accused by the first witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Mahe on the orders of Sambo Dasuki.
Mahe revealed he transferred $40m to ‘One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited’, a company owned by Robert, Punch reports.
Mahe, a retired permanent secretary, special services in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, while being led in evidence by counsel for the EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, told the court that he did not know Azibaola and Stella personally but knew ‘One Plus Holdings’ through a transaction.
The witness said on August 20, 2014, Dasuki told him to pay $40m into the account of One Plus Holdings for reasons unknown.
He said, “on August 20, 2014, the National Security Adviser endorsed a memo to me which originated from the Office of the Director of Finance and Administration of the ONSA detailing the bank details of one company called ‘One Plus’ and the purpose for which the company was to be paid a sum of $40m.
“The NSA instructed me to prepare payment and I prepared the payment mandate for the $40m in favour of ‘One Plus’ for the signature of the NSA. I sent it to the NSA, he signed and sent it back to me and subsequent action was for me to counter-sign the mandate and then send it to the Central Bank of Nigeria for Payment.”
Mahe had earlier told the court that his responsibilities involved matters that had to do with the ONSA. He said that the Special Services Office responsibilities in relation with the ONSA had to do with matters relating to finances of the entire intelligence community which included the Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency and ONSA.
Azibaola and his wife, Stella, are standing trial before Justice Nnamdi O. Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, for seven counts bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption.
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