Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has uncovered an additional $72, 870,000 million linked to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The sum was said to have been discovered in an account domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc.
Consequently, a former Managing Director of the bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo, has been arrested.
Okonkwo, who is currently the Chairman of First Bank Holding, alongside others, had earlier been grilled over a sum of $153million and $115million by the Commission.
While all the $153 million was recovered by the EFCC, the cases involving $115million, as it relates with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) bribery matter, are in various courts.
Okonkwo and one Charles Onyedibe are currently being detained by the EFCC over the whereabouts of the new $72.8m.
EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed these in a statement on Wednesday, titled, ‘Diezani: EFCC uncovers additional $72.87m in Fidelity Bank.’
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It said;
Okonkwo, who is currently the Chairman of First Bank Holding, alongside others, had earlier been grilled over a sum of $153m and $115m by the commission.
Okonkwo and Charles Onyedibe are currently being detained by the EFCC over the whereabouts of the new $72.87m.
On November 26, Court of Appeal in Lagos dismissed an appeal by the embattled former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani, challenging the forfeiture of her $40 million worth of jewellery to the Federal Government.
The Appeal Court held that there was no substance in Diezani’s bid to overturn a lower court’s order.
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It affirmed the 2019 judgment of Justice Nicholas Oweibo of Federal High Court which forfeited the jewellery following an application by the EFCC.
The appellate court gave its judgment in an appeal filed by Diezani marked as Appeal – No CA/L/1263/19 between Diezani Alison-Madueke and the EFCC.
On July 5, 2019, the EFCC secured an order of the high court temporarily forfeiting the expensive items to the Federal Government.
According to the schedule attached to the application, the jewellery, categorised into 33 sets, include;
419 expensive bangles; 315 expensive rings; 304 expensive earrings; 267 expensive necklaces; 189 expensive wristwatches; 174 expensive necklaces and earrings; 78 expensive bracelets; 77 expensive brooches; and 74 expensive pendants.
The items were seized from the former minister’s premises at No. 10 Fredrick Chiluba Close, Asokoro, Abuja.
Justice Oweibo on July 19, 2019, granted the EFCC’s motion for final forfeiture of the jewellery.
