Hearing of a case of illegal acquisition of wealth and money
laundering to the tune of N1.1billion involving Samsudeen Bala-Mohammed,
a son of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala
Mohammed got underway on Thursday, November 9, 2017 with the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presenting its first witness,
Ishaya Dauda, before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court
sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
Samsudeen, who was re-arraigned on May 30, 2017 on an amended
15-count of money laundering and false declaration of assets, is facing
trial alongside four other companies: Bird Trust Argo Limited,
Intertrans Global Logistics Limited, Diakin Telecommunications Limited
and Bal-Vac Mining Nigeria Limited.
The ex-minister’s son among other things allegedly involved in cash
payments above statutory limit for the construction and purchase of
properties in various parts of Abuja.
He allegedly paid various cash sums of money beyond the limit set
by the Money Laundering Act for the purchase of houses without going
through a financial institution.
Dauda, an operative of the EFCC, while being led in evidence by the
Ben Ikani gave a blow-by-blow account of how Samsudeen paid a
cumulative sum of N1.1billion to buy different properties in choice
areas of Abuja, using names of different companies.
According to the PW1, “the Commission stumbled on the various
offences committed by Shamsudeen in the course of investigating his
father, Mohammed”.
The witness also revealed how the sums of N580,000 and $60,000 were
recovered from Shamsudeen’s residence during execution of a search
warrant.
“I know the defendant. In the course of investigating a case
assigned to me against the former FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed,
we received an additional intelligence concerning purchases of
properties by the defendant within the FCT.
“The companies are Diakin Telecommunications Ltd., Balbac Minning Nigeria Ltd., and Intertrans Logistics Global Nigeria Ltd.
“We extended our investigation to the Corporate Affairs
Commission. We confirmed that the companies were registered with the
CAC.
“We invited the lawyers that registered these companies by name
Ishiaku Shuaibu, who confirmed that he registered those companies.
“Our investigation was extended to Abuja Investments
Development Company, where the General Manager, Dr. Musa Musa, and the
company secretary, Salisu Abdusalam, were invited to our office.
“Their statements were taken concerning the purchase of
properties by the defendant using Diakin Telecommunications Ltd., and
Balbac Minning Nigeria Ltd., which they confirmed.
“They said he brought cash to their office. He bought the
properties from the Abuja Development Investments Company. The
properties are located in Apo Area of Abuja.
“Another property that was purchased by the defendant is at 7,
Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja. He brought cash in company with a lady by
name, Maimuna Aliyu Sanda.
“Together they took this cash to the developer, by name, Farouk
Saleh. The cash was in dollars, they told me. But the worth of the
property was N210m.
“Another property was purchased at Sunrise Hill, Asokoro. The
defendant made lodgment of N80million to the then managing director of
the company. The MD, Sami Apougaoude, a Lebanese is late now. Then the
defendant contacted a company, K & K Construction Company, to build
the said property.
“He again made a cash lodgment of N100million to Sunrise Hill
in error which was then transferred to K&K Construction Company into
their Zenith Bank account. He then made a cash lodgment of N110million
to K&K directly.
“Again, he made a lodgment of N200million to K&K Construction Company.
“All these lodgments were made in the name of the Birtrus Agro Allied Limited.
“The last time he made lodgment to K&K Construction company was N296million”, Dauda stated.
The statements made by the defendant and the asset declaration form
completed by him were tendered and admitted as exhibits as Chris Uche,
SAN, representing the defendant raised no objection to the admissibility
of the documents.
Further hearing has been adjourned to December 11, 2017.
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