The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has indicted former
managing director and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Security, Minting
and Printing Company (NSPM) Plc, Mr Ehidiamhem Okoyomon, of alleged forgery and
identity fraud running into millions of naira.
A document by the anti-graft agency signed by its director of operations, Olaolu Adegbeti, showed that Okoyomon had committed forgery and identity thefts which he used as cover to launder huge sums of money running into millions of naira during his tenure as chief executive of the organisation.
The memo, entitled “Ongoing investigation of Messrs Paul Macauley and Victor Aisagbonhi”, CR:3000/EFCC/DOPS/VOL.21/325 and dated March 20, 2014, fingered the erstwhile Mint boss of fraudulently using the names of his driver and clerk to open different bank accounts in which he diverted several alleged bribery funds without their knowledge. The alleged involvement of former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Professor Charles Soludo and 15 other Nigerians in a contract bribery scam for the printing of N20 polymer notes between 2006 and 2008, it was gathered, prompted the EFCC to begin an investigation on Okoyomon who was the helmsman in the Mint as a prime suspect.
According to the commission’s findings, over N750million is said to have exchanged hands between officials of the CBN, the NSPM and Securency International Pty of Australia, even as the said monies were allegedly delivered to the Nigerian officials through two British businessmen, Benoy Berry and Michael Harvey.
A joint investigation by the United Kingdom (UK) Special Fraud Unit and Interpol which was said to have given the link to the forgery and money laundering activities of Okoyomon had alleged that he engaged in a bribery scam with money running into over N750million.
Recently, the two foreign security agencies came to Nigeria where they stayed for two weeks and successfully unearthed incriminating evidence of forgery deals against the former Mint boss.
Both Interpol and the UK Special Fraud Unit, it was learnt, had earlier traced part of the polymer printing bribery monies to the accounts of the former MINT boss’ wife, Mrs Adejoke Ehi Okoyomon, in Canada which has also been frozen.
It was gathered that President Goodluck Jonathan, who was briefed on the latest findings of the investigation, has since directed that those found culpable of the fraudulent and criminals acts should be prosecuted.
“The president was livid with anger and directed that no stone be left unturned in ensuring that those involved in the scandalous bribery allegations are made to face the full wrath of the law,” a reliable Presidency source told our correspondent.
EFCC noted that precisely on July 13, 2007, Okoyomon allegedly opened a bank account with the Guaranty Trust Bank Plc with forged documents, using the passport photograph of one Mr Paul Macaulay, his official driver at the Mint for the transaction.
He was said to have forged a driver’s licence with the same photograph of Mr Macaulay bearing a different name belonging to his official clerk, Mr John Peter Ebhodaghe, on it to open the account, in which N368million proceeds of laundered bribery funds have been traced to, with Okoyomon as the sole beneficiary.
“The fraudulent account was used to launder proceeds of bribery by Mr Emmanuel Ehidiamhmen Okoyomon who was the main beneficiary of the funds,” EFCC stated in the memo.
In the memo by the EFCC, Adegbeti said four other bank accounts operated at the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) have also been traced by the anti-graft agency to the former managing director.
The said accounts which also bear the name of his clerk, Mr John Peter Ebhodaghe, but with a different passport photograph of one Mr Victor Aisagbonhi was opened by the former Mint boss in four different currencies of naira, euro, British pounds and dollars.
The anti-graft agencies alleged that while N106million was laundered in the naira account, the second account has about €156,000, with the third account stashed with £246, 220 deposit and the with about $431,600.
“Four accounts for naira, euro, dollar and British pounds at FCMB Plc in the name of John Peter Ebhodaghe were found to have the photograph of Victor Aisagbonhi; Okoyomon was found to be the major beneficiary of the accounts,” the memo further noted.
The EFCC said Mr Macaulay appeared to be an innocent victim of the fraudulent acts of Okoyomon and, as such, it was yet to establish any evidence of criminal culpability against him.
EFCC said it was presently subjecting documentary evidence in the four accounts at FCMB to forensic analysis to determine if Aisagbonhi operated with Okoyomon at any time.
“We have not established any evidence of criminal culpability on the part of Macaulay who appears to be a victim of the fraudulent acts of Okoyomon,” the commission stated.
Both the driver and clerk of the embattled ex-Mint chief executive had been suspended by the management of the organisation and are still undergoing internal investigation over the allegations of forgeries.
EFCC sources disclosed that while Okoyomon has since been granted an administrative bail by the EFCC, all his travelling documents, including different international passports of various countries belonging to him have also been seized by the agency to prevent him from evading arrest and prosecution.
A document by the anti-graft agency signed by its director of operations, Olaolu Adegbeti, showed that Okoyomon had committed forgery and identity thefts which he used as cover to launder huge sums of money running into millions of naira during his tenure as chief executive of the organisation.
The memo, entitled “Ongoing investigation of Messrs Paul Macauley and Victor Aisagbonhi”, CR:3000/EFCC/DOPS/VOL.21/325 and dated March 20, 2014, fingered the erstwhile Mint boss of fraudulently using the names of his driver and clerk to open different bank accounts in which he diverted several alleged bribery funds without their knowledge. The alleged involvement of former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Professor Charles Soludo and 15 other Nigerians in a contract bribery scam for the printing of N20 polymer notes between 2006 and 2008, it was gathered, prompted the EFCC to begin an investigation on Okoyomon who was the helmsman in the Mint as a prime suspect.
According to the commission’s findings, over N750million is said to have exchanged hands between officials of the CBN, the NSPM and Securency International Pty of Australia, even as the said monies were allegedly delivered to the Nigerian officials through two British businessmen, Benoy Berry and Michael Harvey.
A joint investigation by the United Kingdom (UK) Special Fraud Unit and Interpol which was said to have given the link to the forgery and money laundering activities of Okoyomon had alleged that he engaged in a bribery scam with money running into over N750million.
Recently, the two foreign security agencies came to Nigeria where they stayed for two weeks and successfully unearthed incriminating evidence of forgery deals against the former Mint boss.
Both Interpol and the UK Special Fraud Unit, it was learnt, had earlier traced part of the polymer printing bribery monies to the accounts of the former MINT boss’ wife, Mrs Adejoke Ehi Okoyomon, in Canada which has also been frozen.
It was gathered that President Goodluck Jonathan, who was briefed on the latest findings of the investigation, has since directed that those found culpable of the fraudulent and criminals acts should be prosecuted.
“The president was livid with anger and directed that no stone be left unturned in ensuring that those involved in the scandalous bribery allegations are made to face the full wrath of the law,” a reliable Presidency source told our correspondent.
EFCC noted that precisely on July 13, 2007, Okoyomon allegedly opened a bank account with the Guaranty Trust Bank Plc with forged documents, using the passport photograph of one Mr Paul Macaulay, his official driver at the Mint for the transaction.
He was said to have forged a driver’s licence with the same photograph of Mr Macaulay bearing a different name belonging to his official clerk, Mr John Peter Ebhodaghe, on it to open the account, in which N368million proceeds of laundered bribery funds have been traced to, with Okoyomon as the sole beneficiary.
“The fraudulent account was used to launder proceeds of bribery by Mr Emmanuel Ehidiamhmen Okoyomon who was the main beneficiary of the funds,” EFCC stated in the memo.
In the memo by the EFCC, Adegbeti said four other bank accounts operated at the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) have also been traced by the anti-graft agency to the former managing director.
The said accounts which also bear the name of his clerk, Mr John Peter Ebhodaghe, but with a different passport photograph of one Mr Victor Aisagbonhi was opened by the former Mint boss in four different currencies of naira, euro, British pounds and dollars.
The anti-graft agencies alleged that while N106million was laundered in the naira account, the second account has about €156,000, with the third account stashed with £246, 220 deposit and the with about $431,600.
“Four accounts for naira, euro, dollar and British pounds at FCMB Plc in the name of John Peter Ebhodaghe were found to have the photograph of Victor Aisagbonhi; Okoyomon was found to be the major beneficiary of the accounts,” the memo further noted.
The EFCC said Mr Macaulay appeared to be an innocent victim of the fraudulent acts of Okoyomon and, as such, it was yet to establish any evidence of criminal culpability against him.
EFCC said it was presently subjecting documentary evidence in the four accounts at FCMB to forensic analysis to determine if Aisagbonhi operated with Okoyomon at any time.
“We have not established any evidence of criminal culpability on the part of Macaulay who appears to be a victim of the fraudulent acts of Okoyomon,” the commission stated.
Both the driver and clerk of the embattled ex-Mint chief executive had been suspended by the management of the organisation and are still undergoing internal investigation over the allegations of forgeries.
EFCC sources disclosed that while Okoyomon has since been granted an administrative bail by the EFCC, all his travelling documents, including different international passports of various countries belonging to him have also been seized by the agency to prevent him from evading arrest and prosecution.
Source: LEADERSHIP
No comments:
Post a Comment