The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has instituted criminal charges against the ex-Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Mr. Jonah Otunla before the Federal High Court in Abuja. 

Otunla is facing five-count money laundering charge alongside eight companies- Gold Reef Industries Limited, Lambster Nigeria Limited, G.C Electronic Limited, Sinmilak Nigeria Limited, Wehsac Farms Limited, Shepherded Field Global Resources Limited and Stellavera Development Company Limited. 

EFCC alleged that the erstwhile AGF illegally N2billion from the account of the Office of the National Security, ONSA, domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. The fraud was allegedly perpetuated between June and August 2013. 

EFCC operatives According to the anti-graft agency, the N2bn was withdrawn from ONSA account on the guise that it was payment for the supply of security equipment. 

EFCC insisted that the illegally diverted fund formed part of proceeds of an unlawful activity of the then NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd. In the charges signed by EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, the court was told that the N2bn was transferred from ONSA account and disbursed into the accounts of several other companies, including one to which one Otunba Ade Adelakun is a signatory. 

EFCC equally alleged that a former Director, Special Duties in ONSA, and a signatory to the accounts of Helpline Organisation, Col. Bello Fadile, who was said to be at large, was also a beneficiary of the part of the proceeds of the alleged crime. Offences the ex-AGF committed were said to be contrary to section 15(2) and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15 (3) and (4) of the same Act. 

Though Adelakun was said to be at large, he was also named as a co-defendant in the charge. Meantime, Vanguard learnt last night that the accused persons are scheduled to appear before trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba today to enter their plea to the charge. 

Some of the charges against the defendants read: “That you Jonah Ogunniyi Otunla, being the former Accountant General of the Federation and a Director and signatory to Ecobank account of Wehsac Farms Ltd, Otunba Ade Adelakun being the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and a signatory to the accounts of Gold Reef Industries Limited -, Lambster Nigeria Limited – Zenith Bank, G.C. Electronics Limited – GTB and Sinmilak Nigeria Limited -, Col. Bello Fadile (now at large, being the former Director, Special Duties in the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, and also a Director and signatory to the accounts of Helpline Organisation – Diamond Bank and Justice and Peace Consultants – GTB, sometime between June and August 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court conspired to commit an illegal act, to wit: money laundering of the sum of N2,000,000,000:00 (two billion naira) transferred from the account of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria to the accounts of Gold Reef Industries Limited with account No: 4010112969, Lambster Nigeria Limited with Zenith Bank Plc account No: 1011813502, G.C. Electronic Limited with GTB Plc account No: 0024330333 and Sinmilak Nigeria Limited with account No: 4010160616 purporting to be for supply at security equipment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15 (3) and (4) of the some Act. 

“That you, Jonah Ogunniyi Otunla being the former Accountant General of the Federation and a Director and signatory to the Ecobank account of WEHSAC FARMS LTD, Otunba Ade Adelakun, being the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and signatory to the accounts of Goldreef Industries Limited – Lambster Nigeria Limited – Zenith Bank, G.C. Electronics Limited GTB and Sinmilak Nigeria Limited – Fidelity Bank, Col. Bello Fadile (now at large) being the former Director, Special Duties in the Office of the National Security Adviser and also a Director and signatory to the accounts of Helpline Organisation – Diamond Bank Plc and Justice and Peace Consultants – GTB, sometime between June and August, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court directly took possession or control of the sum of N2,000,000,000 (two billion naira) transferred from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria to the accounts of Goldreef Industries Limited, Lambster Nigeria Limited with Zenith Bank pic Account No: 1011813502, G.C. Electronic Limited with GTB Plc account No: 0024330333 and Sinmilak Nigeria Limited with account No: 4010160616 purporting to be for supply of security equipment when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki the then National Security Adviser ( to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption)and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act. 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will on December 7 arraign a former  Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla, and eight others before the Federal High Court in Abuja on money laundering charges involving diversion of N2bn from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The defendants were scheduled to be arraigned before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba on Tuesday but the arraignment was re-scheduled to December 7 due to the unavailability of the judge who was said to be attending a training organised for some judges in the country.

But Otunla was absent from court on Tuesday.

One of his co-defendant, Otunba Ade Adelakun, was however present in court.

The rest of the six defendants are companies said to have benefited from the N2bn withdrawn from ONSA account with the Central Bank of Nigeria

The companies named as co-defendants are Gold Reef Industries Limited, Lambster Nigeria Limited, G.C Electronic Limited, Sinmilak Nigeria Limited, Wehsac Farms Limited, Shepherded Field Global Resources Limited and Stellavera Development Company Limited.

The EFCC, in the five counts filed against Otunla and others on October 11, 2017, accused the defendants of transferring the sum of N2bn from ONSA account with the Central Bank of Nigeria between June and August 2013.

The anti-corruption agency alleged that the defendants withdrew the money from ONSA account purportedly for the supply of security equipment.

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