Alleged $40m Fraud: Witness Says Dasuki Authorized Payment to Jonathan’s Cousin’s Company

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A prosecution witness, Mr Ibrahim Maye, in the trial of Mr Azibaola Roberts, cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is facing corruption and money laundering charges by the federal government, on Tuesday told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), authorized the payment mandate of $40 million in favour of One Plus Limited, a company said to belong to Roberts.

Roberts, together with his wife, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged payment of $40 million into their company, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

They pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge read to them before Justice Dimgba of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

Following their not guilty plea, their counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), and Gordy Uche (SAN), in canvassing for their bail application, had urged the court to admit them to bail on liberal terms, adding that offences which they were charged with were bailable.

Justice Dimgba, delivering his ruling on the bail applications filed by the defendants’ lawyers, held that there was no material evidence before the court that Roberts and his wife would jump bail or frustrate their trial.

He therefore granted them bail in the sum of N500m each with two sureties in like sum having properties in Abuja.

At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Maye, who was the first prosecution witness (PW1) of the EFCC, told the court that Dasuki had endorsed a memo to him with details of the company’s account.

According to the witness, a memo was sent to him in his capacity as the Permanent Secretary, Special Service Office; a department in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He said, “On Aug. 20, 2014, the NSA endorsed a memo to me which originated from the director of finance and administration in the office of the NSA giving bank details of a company called One Plus.”

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