How Dufada allegedly laundered N5.1bn on behalf of Patience Jonathan

In the current trial of a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa,  a prosecution witness, Orji Chukwuma, on Tuesday,  disclosed how Dudafa allegedly laundered billions of Naira on behalf of a former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.

Dudafa charged together with Joseph Iwuejo, his ex-account officer, who allegedly assisted him in committing the fraud.

Dudafa and Iwuejo, who also claimed to be ‘Taiwo Ebenezer’ and ‘Olugbenga Isaiah’, between June 2013 and June 2015, were accused to have used different companies to illegally launder various sums of money totalling of N5.1 billion.

At the resumed trial before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, Chukwuma, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, revealed in court, on Tuesday, how a Murtala Abubakar, a Bereau de Change operator, owned up that he collected some millions of dollars from Dudafa.

Chukwuma said, “We discovered, in the course of our investigation, that Abubakar was directed to pay the various sums of money into different accounts provided by Dudafa.”

Chukwuma also told the court that the fund was handed over to Dudafa at the Aso Rock Villa by Patience, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

READ ALSO: EFCC uncovers N2.114bn linked to the account of Patience Jonathan’s mother

Revealing more information, Chukwuma said Dudafa made use of some companies: ABY Resources Limited; Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited; Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Ibejige Services Limited and DeJakes Fast Food & Restaurant Nigeria Limited to store and oversee the funds discovered in his possession.

Speaking on Dufada’s asset declaration, Chukwuma said the defendant did not declare his proceeds in these companies in his Asset Declaration Form, noting that the funds uncovered in his accounts at two new generation banks were earnings from criminal activities.

Also, Dudafa, through his lawyer, filed an application enjoining the court to temporarily release his international passport to allow him travel for a medical examination abroad.

Responding to the defendant’s request, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Oyedepo advised the court not to grant the application. He explained that the EFCC had written to a Lagos State government hospital to examine Mr. Dudafa’s health and determine whether he could be treated in Nigeria or abroad.

Mr. Oyedepo, however, noted that he was yet to receive a feedback from the hospital.

Hence, Justice Idris adjourned to October 24 for hearing of the application and November 14 and 15, 2017 for continuation of trial.