Abuja – As the trial of the cousin of former
President Goodluck Jonathan, Azibaola Robert,
and his wife, Stella, over alleged laundering of
$40 million cash began in earnest, all the
witnesses called by the Economic and Financial
Commission, yesterday, denied knowledge of
the couple.
Azibaola’s
Rather, they admitted transacting business with
his firm, Oneplus, which was reportedly
awarded the contract for the supply of
Strategic Communications kits by the Office of
the national Security Adviser in 2014.
The witnesses, mostly commercial bank
officials, summoned by the EFCC as
prosecution witnesses, told Justice Nnamdi
Dimgba of the Federal High Court Abuja, that
they did not know or do any business with the
defendants.
The witnesses who testified on Friday were
Mohammed Abdurazak Bello, Confidence Onabu
Iwade and Remiginus Ugwu, who all confessed
not knowing the couple.
Prosecution witness 5 (PW5) Folashade
Ibrahim, a branch manager with Wema Bank,
said that she did not know or do any business
with Robert or his wife, Stella, and that they
were not beneficiaries of the money she
disbursed from the accounts of Tunji Adeniyi &
Co, a property firm owned and managed by
Tunji Adeniyi.
Under cross-examination by the defence
counsel, Gordy Uche of what she knew Robert
and his wife, Stella, Ibrahim replied: “No. I
don’t even know them. And they are not part
of the beneficiaries of the transfers from the
account of Tunji & Co,”
In his testimony, PW6, MOHAMMED
ABDULRAZAK BELLO, who is the Managing
Director of BDC SAFEWAY CLEAN EXCHANGE,
said, “I don’t know the man, I don’t know the
lady”, referring to Aziboala and Stella Robert,
but I have dealt with Oneplus Holdings.”
“The transaction between me and the Zenith
Bank officials is legal; there is nothing illegal
about it.
“The Zenith Bank officials told me that the
bank did not have enough dollar cash and
asked me to source dollar from the black
market for them. In all we transacted $6.6m.
At times I paid Naira into an account provided
by Amobi (Zenith Bank official) KAMARUDEEN
DAHIRU.
“All these transactions were handled between,
Amobi Odum, Obinna AMAECHI and Nnadozie.
In my statement I did say I have never met One
plus Holdings Nigeria Limited.”
Also testifying, CONFIDENCE IWADE, a marketer
with CAPITALFIELD ENERGY & ALLIED SERVICE,
admitted: “I don’t know them (referring to
Robert and Stella) but my office had had
dealing with Oneplus Holdings sometimes in
2014. ”
“We had transaction of $2m which Oneplus
paid into my company’s account and the Naira
equivalent paid into Kamarudeen Dahiru’s
account. And this is a normal, legal business
and which my company has also done with
other companies.”
In the same vein, REMEGIUS UGWU, a
compliance officer with Zenith Bank, submitted,
“Personally I don’t know them (referring to
Azibaola and Stella Robert), but I know
Oneplus Holdings.”
The statements of the witnesses were however
admiited by the judge. The Prosecution led by
SYLVANUS TAHIR, submitted that they agency
intended to call no fewer than 13 witnesses to
prove its case against the defendants, adding
that eight had so far been called to testify.
Trial adjourned to June 20 and 21.
President Goodluck Jonathan, Azibaola Robert,
and his wife, Stella, over alleged laundering of
$40 million cash began in earnest, all the
witnesses called by the Economic and Financial
Commission, yesterday, denied knowledge of
the couple.
Rather, they admitted transacting business with
his firm, Oneplus, which was reportedly
awarded the contract for the supply of
Strategic Communications kits by the Office of
the national Security Adviser in 2014.
The witnesses, mostly commercial bank
officials, summoned by the EFCC as
prosecution witnesses, told Justice Nnamdi
Dimgba of the Federal High Court Abuja, that
they did not know or do any business with the
defendants.
The witnesses who testified on Friday were
Mohammed Abdurazak Bello, Confidence Onabu
Iwade and Remiginus Ugwu, who all confessed
not knowing the couple.
Prosecution witness 5 (PW5) Folashade
Ibrahim, a branch manager with Wema Bank,
said that she did not know or do any business
with Robert or his wife, Stella, and that they
were not beneficiaries of the money she
disbursed from the accounts of Tunji Adeniyi &
Co, a property firm owned and managed by
Tunji Adeniyi.
Under cross-examination by the defence
counsel, Gordy Uche of what she knew Robert
and his wife, Stella, Ibrahim replied: “No. I
don’t even know them. And they are not part
of the beneficiaries of the transfers from the
account of Tunji & Co,”
In his testimony, PW6, MOHAMMED
ABDULRAZAK BELLO, who is the Managing
Director of BDC SAFEWAY CLEAN EXCHANGE,
said, “I don’t know the man, I don’t know the
lady”, referring to Aziboala and Stella Robert,
but I have dealt with Oneplus Holdings.”
“The transaction between me and the Zenith
Bank officials is legal; there is nothing illegal
about it.
“The Zenith Bank officials told me that the
bank did not have enough dollar cash and
asked me to source dollar from the black
market for them. In all we transacted $6.6m.
At times I paid Naira into an account provided
by Amobi (Zenith Bank official) KAMARUDEEN
DAHIRU.
“All these transactions were handled between,
Amobi Odum, Obinna AMAECHI and Nnadozie.
In my statement I did say I have never met One
plus Holdings Nigeria Limited.”
Also testifying, CONFIDENCE IWADE, a marketer
with CAPITALFIELD ENERGY & ALLIED SERVICE,
admitted: “I don’t know them (referring to
Robert and Stella) but my office had had
dealing with Oneplus Holdings sometimes in
2014. ”
“We had transaction of $2m which Oneplus
paid into my company’s account and the Naira
equivalent paid into Kamarudeen Dahiru’s
account. And this is a normal, legal business
and which my company has also done with
other companies.”
In the same vein, REMEGIUS UGWU, a
compliance officer with Zenith Bank, submitted,
“Personally I don’t know them (referring to
Azibaola and Stella Robert), but I know
Oneplus Holdings.”
The statements of the witnesses were however
admiited by the judge. The Prosecution led by
SYLVANUS TAHIR, submitted that they agency
intended to call no fewer than 13 witnesses to
prove its case against the defendants, adding
that eight had so far been called to testify.
Trial adjourned to June 20 and 21.
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