Date: 2015-03-02

The Citizens Action for Equity and Justice, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has criticised what it called the undue delay in the adjudication of a suit filed by former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, to stop his prosecution by the police over alleged money laundering.

The organisation, in a statement on Sunday, said it was worried by the undue delay in the suit, which it said appeared a “simple matter.”

The police had investigated allegations of N11 billion money laundering relating to Saraki and was about to charge him to court when the former governor went to a Federal High Court, Abuja, to protect his fundamental rights.

The group, in a statement by its chairman, Comrade Ibrahim Yekini, however, said the delay in handling the suit at the Federal High Court was unwarranted.

The statement read in part: “Saraki was being investigated by the Nigeria Police for a case of alleged money laundering running into N11 billion and was invited by the Special Fraud Unit of the police to answer a few questions regarding the case. But instead of honouring the invitation, he ran to the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an injunction stopping the police from interrogating him on matter he claimed he knew nothing about.

“Senator Saraki filed his case over two (2) years ago. We believe this is a simple matter which the Federal High Court, Abuja should have decided a long time ago. In fact, we gathered that all the issues surrounding the case have been concluded about three weeks ago, and what remained is for the judge handling the matter to deliver a ruling in the matter. But for some inexplicable reasons, he is yet to do so.

“We, therefore, use this medium to appeal to the judge to, as a matter of urgency, deliver judgment on the matter, as justice delayed is justice denied. We note too that by not concluding the matter, it is inhibiting the Nigeria Police from carrying out their constitutionally recognised duties.

‘‘For so many years now, the officers who investigated Senator Saraki are in limbo, as to go ahead with the case would be against the status quo ordered by the judge.

“We do not believe that when the judiciary system was established, it was to protect alleged corrupt people from being investigated, honouring police investigation or escaping trial. It was to serve the cause of justice, and we state categorically that in this case, the cause of justice has not been served with the unnecessary delay in the delivery of the judgment.

“Ordinarily, we would not have intervened in the matter which is before the Honourable Justice. But we note that Nigeria has a peculiar judicial environment where many in the past have sought and, indeed, abused the judicial process.”

The police had, on February 19, 2014, invited Saraki for questioning in respect of alleged “conspiracy and money laundering.” The police letter has reference number CR.3000/X/SFU/ADM/BFC/Vol.17/2014.

But Sarak had filed a suit on February 25, 2014 seeking to enforce his fundamental rights and stop the police from prosecuting him. The suit, filed at a Federal High Court, Abuja, has the reference number FHC/ABJ/CS/152/14.

In a counter affidavit dated March 12, 2014, the police urged the court to dismiss Saraki’s application, adding that its actions could not be said to have breached the fundamental rights of the former governor or his associates.

The Force’s affidavit read in part “There are several unusual cash inflows into the dollar domiciliary account of Carlislie Properties and Investment Ltd by Polybags Industry (Nig) Ltd.”

It added that PolyBags industry made payments of between US$4,500 and US$10,000 eight (8) separate times on 24th August, 2010 amounting to $78,000.

?The Force said that the Polybags Industry NIg. Has however denied ever making such payments, which it said further raised suspicion that the name polybag was probably used in a money laundering case.

Police also stated that individuals linked to Saraki, including one Abdul Adama, lodged questionable huge sums of money into his naira and dollar accounts. One of such accounts is identified as 003497479.

The affidavit read: “On the 10th of May 2009, 18 separate lodgments of $10,000 were made by the said Abdul Adama, who also used the fictitious name of Garba Dare to make some of these lodgments the same date! It totalled US$180,000.00 in one day.

“There was also an unusual single inflow on 12th February, 2010 of the sum of $120,000 which was immediately converted to pound sterling and wired overseas through the applicant (Saraki)’s Pound Sterling Account.

“There was unusual single cash inflow on 15th February, 2010 of the sum of $US1,000,000.00 in one day! Same was also converted to pound sterling and wired overseas through British Pound Sterling account No. 441/441953/3/1/0.

“The converted dollars to pounds sterling ended up in the purchase of a real property in the United Kingdom.”

It stated that there are “so many other unusual heavy inflows into the Saraki’s account that were usually wired overseas to fund his American Express Card No. 374588216 836009,” adding that all the strange lodgements necessitated the investigation.