MONEY LAUNDERING !!

EFCC Foils Plot To Steal Seized $2.1m NHIS Cash
Two persons have made separate attempts to claim
the $2.1m (about N418million) cash seized by the
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the
Murtala Muhammed International Airport from the
custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission.
The NDLEA had on July 3 intercepted the cash which
was being conveyed by a bureau de change operator,
Mr. Ibiteye John Bamidele.
The anti-narcotics agency had suspected the bureau
de change operator of laundering the money.
Following his confession that he was on money
laundering errand allegedly for a former Executive
Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme,
Dr. Olufemi Thomas, the NDLEA had on July 8
handed over the suspect and the cash to the EFCC.
Investigations Yesterday reveal that two different
persons have showed up at the Lagos office of the
EFCC to claim the cash.
Information revealed that one of the impostors, a
man, who showed up to claim ownership of the
money, later confessed to EFCC operatives that he
was hired by some persons he didn't name to
retrieve the money from the commission.
His claim was said to have been punctured by the
EFCC team and he was subsequently arrested.
Similarly, a lady was also said to have appeared at
the Lagos office of the EFCC, claiming that she was
the one that gave Bamidele the money.
The lady was said to have made repeated calls to the
supposed owner of the money who failed to fulfil his
promise that he would meet her at the EFCC office.
When she realised that her partner had failed her
with the refusal to appear at the commission. She
was also said to have pleaded for mercy especially
when the operatives confronted her with facts from
Bamidele.
A top officer of the EFCC, who spoke on condition of
anonymity said, "Another thing you must know about
this drama is that the commission has foiled some
attempts to retrieve the money.
"From the time the case was handed over to the
commission on July 8, 2015 to date, two people have
come forward to claim the money.
"A few days after the money was handed over to the
EFCC, a man came to the office to claim the money
but when he was grilled, he contradicted himself. In
fact, he said he was hired by some persons to claim
and retrieve the money from the commission.
"Apart from the man, another woman showed up the
following day to claim that she was the one who gave
Bamidele the money.
"According to her claim, the money was proceeds of
an investment which was liquidated with a bank and
was intended to be used to purchase a property for
the construction of a cardiac centre.
"However, her claim fell through when operatives
confronted her. The bureau de change operator who
was caught with the money did not mention her
name. Then she realised that she wasn't going
anywhere with her lies, she started pleading for
mercy."
Meanwhile, indications emerged Yesterday that
Thomas had been granted administrative bail on
Friday by the EFCC after undergoing interrogation in
relation to the seized $2.1m.
The EFCC had invited the former NHIS boss, the
prime suspect, for interrogation on Friday and
released him after hours of interrogation.
The EFCC operatives, who grilled the ex-NHIS boss in
relation to the ownership of the controversial money,
asked him to report to the Lagos office of the
commission for further investigation whenever he is
needed.
No date was fixed for the next session with the
commission.
Another senior officer of the EFCC, who also spoke on
condition of anonymity, said, "The case involving the
seized $2.1 million is still pending. The man was
interrogated on Friday but released to go on what we
call administrative bail.
"Since the case is a Lagos case, he is expected to be
reporting to the commission's office in Lagos
whenever he is needed."
Prior to Thomas' interrogation, the EFCC had given
the indication that it could declare him wanted after
weeks of searching for him.
#thepanaceareports
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone, powered by Easyblaze