The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday, January 9, grilled a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, for hours over N37.1 billion fraud allegation....CONTINUE READING
She was however released on bail on the night of the same day.
Umar-Farouq who was said to be grilled in the presence of her lawyer, Oladipo Okpeseyi, at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, was requested to write a statement explaining her relationship with a contractor, James Okwete, over the disbursements of the sum of N37.1 billion paid into his bank accounts through agencies domiciled in the ministry.
The interrogation at the EFCC Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, saw the former minister shown documents revealing how the monies were moved into several bank accounts belonging to or connected with Okwete.
“Sadiya Umar-Farouq was grilled by interrogators since 11 am, and she was released on bail around 11.30 pm tonight (Monday), we aren’t detaining her just as we didn’t detain Halima Shehu, because the investigation is still ongoing.
“However, Sadiya Umar-Farouq has been mandated to report to the commission every day from tomorrow (Tuesday). She was asked to write a statement explaining her relationship with the contractor, Okwete, and how those monies got into his account,” an EFCC source revealed.
The source added, “She was given access to documents showing how the monies were moved from the ministry’s coffers and deposited into the bank accounts of Mr Okwete.”
Okwete’s lawyer, Chukwuemeka Eze, confirmed that his client had been released by the EFCC as he noted that Okwete was released on administrative bail on Thursday, January 4, and had been asked to report to the commission daily.
“My client, Okwete has been released by the EFCC on bail. He was released last week Thursday, and has been asked to report to the commission daily,” Eze said.
Umar-Farouq had arrived at the EFCC Headquarters on Monday morning of January 8, as the former Minister tweeted about her presence at the EFCC Headquarters, saying, “I have, at my behest, arrived at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to honour the invitation by the anti-graft agency to offer clarifications in respect of some issues that the commission is investigating.”
Following receipt of the funds, Okwete transferred N6.7 billion to Bureau De Change, BDC, Operators, withdrew N540 million in cash, purchased luxury cars with N288.3 million and bought luxury houses in Abuja and Enugu State with N2.19 billion.
So far, 53 companies have been traced to Okwete, who was also said to have used 47 of the firms to secure Federal Government contracts amounting to N27.4 billion.
He is also linked with 143 bank accounts in 12 commercial banks of which 134 accounts are corporate accounts linked to different companies.
The Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, revealed that Okwete is a director in only 11 of the 53 companies, while the remaining 42 companies’ accounts were linked to his Bank Verification Number, BVN, as a signatory to the accounts…CONTINUE READING>>
