How Diezani Madueke allegedly diverted over $115m, gave Belgore, Sulaiman N450m – Witness tells court

A prosecution witness, Timothy Olaobaju, has narrated before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos how former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, stashed the sum of $115,010,000 in Fidelity bank and subsequently instructed that the money be changed into naira, which was distributed among some individuals.

Olaobaju, a staff of the bank in his evidence before the Justice Rilwan Aikawa – led court, on Monday named those who benefitted from the funds to include, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dele Belgore and a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, who both received N450m.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is currently prosecuting Belgore and Sulaiman on a five count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N450m.

Also charged along with the accused persons is the former Petroleum Minister who is said to “still be at large.”

The banker while been led in evidence by counsel to the anti-graft agency, Rotimi Oyedepo, said, “Sometime in April 2014, our MD, Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, gave a directive that certain companies and individuals would pay into an account with our bank some amounts of money. The purpose of the payment was not disclosed.

“Over the period, thereafter, some amounts were paid into the account. The funds were deposited in dollar. The total sum was $115,010,000.

“On the 27th of March, 2015, there was an instruction from the former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, through our MD, that the fund in the account should be converted to naira and paid to certain individuals of which the list of beneficiaries was sent to our MD and the amount to be paid to them in naira.

“The funds were paid according to Alison-Madueke’s instructions.

“On the list sent to our branch, the names of the defendants (Belgore and Sulaiman) were on that list because the money was paid in about 36 states of the federation.

“The defendants are not customers of our bank.

“The instruction was that the sum of N450m should be paid to Mr Dele Belgore (SAN) and Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.

“They both received the money and they filled the Receipt of Payment as evidence of receipt of the money and acknowledgement of same.”

The banker disclosed that both Belgore and Sulaiman signed separate receipts of Payment for the same N450m on March 26, 2015 and the court admitted both receipts of payment in evidence and marked them as Exhibits 1 and 1A.

Following his testimony, Belgore’s lawyer, Ebun Shofunde, SAN, prayed the court for an adjournment.

Explaining the reason for the adjournment, Shofunde said most of what the witness said were not in the proof of evidence with the defence team, this Sulaiman’s lawyer, Olatunji Ayanlaja, SAN, acknowledged.

Counsel to the anti-graft agency, however, did not object to prayer for adjournment.

Against this backdrop, Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter till Tuesday for further proceedings.