Court Orders Temporary Forfeiture Of $378,000, Mercedes Benz Maybach To Nigerian Govt In Alleged Money Laundering Case
The money and the vehicle, allegedly said to be proceeds of unlawful activities, were linked to Paul Chukwuma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited.
AFederal High Court in Abuja has made a significant ruling, ordering the temporary forfeiture of a substantial amount of cash, $378,000, and a luxury vehicle, a Mercedes Benz GLS 600 Maybach, to the Nigerian Government.
This decision was made by Justice Emeka Nwite after the counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Osuobeni Akponimisingha, presented a motion ex-parte.
As part of the ruling, Justice Nwite directed the ICPC to publish a notice in a national daily, allowing interested parties to come forward and argue against the permanent forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government.
The judge adjourned the matter until February 20 for report of compliance, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The money and the vehicle, allegedly said to be proceeds of unlawful activities, were linked to Paul Chukwuma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited.
In the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1982/V/2024 and filed by the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN); Chukwuma, Prof. Klaus Stierstorfer, and Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited were sued as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
Mr Aliyu, in the motion, sought an order temporarily forfeiting the sum of $378,000 being funds restricted vide Post No Debit Order placed in the Zenith Bank Account of Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited-5074703084.
He also sought an order “temporarily forfeiting the movable property to wit: MERCEDES BENZ GLS 600 MAYBACH” to Federal Government.
Also, he appealed for an order directing the commission to publish a notice in any national newspaper for interested person(s) to show cause why the said property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Mr Aliyu further sought an order directing the anti-corruption commission to open an escrow (interest yielding) account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in the name of the ICPC and Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited in respect of the alleged $378,000.00.
Giving 10 grounds why the application should be granted, the ICPC chair said the victims of the alleged crime of the respondents is the Federal Government of Nigeria and its citizens, who pay their taxes as and when due.
Idris Abubakar, a litigation officer, Legal Services Department (ICPC), in the affidavit he deposed to, said the commission received a petition alleging that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), allegedly made payment to a contractor for unexecuted project.
He said during the investigation, it was discovered that TETFund entered into a memorandum of understanding with two companies to provide ICT services to tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
He, however, alleged that TETFund jettisoned the conditions given by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and went ahead to engage Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited.
Mr Abubakar averred “that TETFund, through its Executive Secretary and under the hand of the Honourable Minister for Education, secured approval in the sums of N8,600,000,000.00; N3,550,000,000.00 and N3,100,000,000.00, and guidelines for ICT support services for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education from the then president, President Mohammadu Buhari, GCFR.”
He said following the approval of the sums and guidelines, TETFund under its ICT Director, Joseph Odo, wrote a letter to all vice chancellors, rectors and provosts of public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education requesting for their readiness to commit 50 per cent of their ICT support intervention funds to the programme.
“TETFund, in fragrant disregard for extant procurement procedures, received proposal from Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited for capacity building ICT related course for the public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education,” he said.
The officer said the academy was engaged to provide the services in two phases to the institutions vide a letter dated May 22, 2023.
According to him, the services to be provided by Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited were divided into two categories – online and physical.
He said the total cost implication under Category 1 (Online) was N3,072,000,000 (three billion seventy-two million).
He said in Category II, the total cost implication was N740,500,000 (seven hundred and forty million, five hundred thousand naira).
He said total cost implication for Category 1 (Online) plus Category 2 (Physical) was N3,813,500,000. 00 (three billion, eight hundred and twelve million, five hundred thousand naira).
Mr Abubakar, however, alleged that the academy only trained 391 participants out of 502 participants under Category 2 (Physical).
He said on June 30, 2023, the sum of N550,380,780.23 was received from TETFund by the academy.
He said from the amount, Chukwuma made some transfers, including a deposit of N150 million (one hundred and fifty million naira) on July 13, 2023, to Globe Motors Holdings Nig. Ltd for the purchase of one unit of Mercedes Benz GLS 600 Maybach for the academy.
Again, he alleged that on July 26, 2023, the sum of N1,503,743,850.00 was received from TETFund, and from the sum, Chukwuma made some transfers, including the sum of N150,000,000.00 sent to Globe Motors Holdings Nig. Ltd, for another deposit for the purchase of one unit of Mercedes Benz GLS 600 Maybach.
“For the over N300 million transferred to Globe Motors Holdings Nig. Ltd, Mr Paul Chukwuma claimed he had communication with his international partner, Prof. Dr. Klaus Stierstorfer on the need to buy a car for Fides Et Ratio Academy Limited.
“In this regard, he presented to the ICPC investigators two separate written communicates he had with Prof Stierstorfer,” he said.
The ICPC investigators reportedly asked Chukwuma to provide contact information for Prof. Stierstorfer, but unfortunately, they haven’t been able to reach him yet.
It seems the ICPC is still actively trying to track down Stierstorfer to clarify some claims made by Paul Chukwuma.
