When Saharareporters reported two weeks ago that Chief Bode George collected N100 million from the $2.1 billion meant for purchase of arms to fight terrorism in Nigeria he denied that he ever collected a dime. Based on the confessional statement of Amb Yuguda that he gave N600 million to 6 PDP leaders including Chief George at N100 million per head the "Lagos boy" has now admitted that he collected "only $30,000". In a stupid defence, Chief George now says he did not know that it was "stolen money"!
At the time that Amb Yuguda distributed the money, he was the minister of state in the federal ministry of defence. Chief Bode George, a former military governor under IBB, did not know that the $30,000 was stolen money. Yet, he collected it from a serving minister to take of delegates in Lagos! Was the minister an official of PDP? What happened to the N23 billion raised from government contractors by the PDP?
Under the Nigerian criminal code, anyone who bought a stolen item is a thief. Anyone who shared part of stolen money is a thief. Was he not aware that anyone caught with cash of more than $10,000 has violated the money laundering law of the country? Having confessed that he took $30,000 from a serving minister of finance let Chief Bode George talk to a lawyer to know the legal implications of his confessional statement.
-Tayo Michael.