Skip to main content

Guaranty Trust Bank Compliance Officer Tells Court How Former Aide To President Goodluck Jonathan Laundered N250.7m

October 27, 2016

Mr. Dudafa and one Mr. Joseph Iwuejo, as well as four companies, are facing charges related to a N5.1billion fraud brought against them by the EFCC.

A Federal High Court in Lagos was on Thursday told how Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa, Special Assistant on Domestic Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan, laundered N250.7 million between 2013 and 2015. Informing the court was Mr. Kayode Temitope Olanrewaju, a compliance officer with Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, while being led in evidence by Mr. Rotimi Oyeyipo, prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr. Dudafa and one Mr. Joseph Iwuejo, as well as four companies, are facing charges related to a N5.1billion fraud brought against them by the EFCC.

At the resumed trial of the accused persons, Mr. Olanrewaju, the third prosecution witness, told the court that his bank received a letter from the EFCC requesting for the account opening packages of DJakes Fast Food and Restaurant – which has Mr. Dudafa, his wife, Preye, and his son, Dudafa Jr., as directors – and that of one Florence Itekesi.

He also told the court how the sum of N63.2 million, in three N20million installments and N3.2 million, was deposited into the account of DJakes Fast Food and Restaurant on 18 March, 2013.

Mr. Olanrewaju further told the court that the fast food outlet’s account with the bank also received the sum of N20 million and N79.2 million from 313 bureaus de change and one Abubakar Murtala Bashir, on 23 and 26 January, 2015. 

He equally disclosed that N88 million was paid into the account by Danbazau Global Limited and Bambura Global Company, with the sum of N20.3 million paid into the fast food outlet’s account by Dambazua Global Limited on 30 January, 2015.

Under cross-examination by the lawyers to the accused persons, Mr. Gboyega Oyewole and six other counsels, the witness told the court that the DJakes Fast Food's account is domiciled at the branch of the bank in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and that it was opened in 2007.

He also stated that there was cash inflow into the account when it was opened, but was not sure if it was dormant and then reactivated before then.

Another compliance officer, Mr. Adeniyi Tunde, testified how the two accused persons ran the accounts in a manner contrary to the banking regulations.

The matter has been adjourned till December 8, 2016 for continuation of the trial.

The two accused were arraigned before the court on a 23 count-charge bordering on alleged conspiracy and laundering of N5.1 billion by the EFCC.

They pleaded not guilty to all the charges and were granted bail by the court. 

In the charge, the EFCC alleged that Mr. Dudafa and Joseph Nna, who also claimed to be Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah, had between June 2013 and June 2015, used different companies to fraudulently steal the sum of N5.1 billion.

Companies alleged to have been used in committing the alleged offenses were Seagate Property Development and Investment Limited, Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited, Iwejuo Joseph Nna and Pluto Luto Property and Investment Company Limited, Iwejuo Joseph Nna and Rotate Interlink Services Limited.

Others were Ibejige Services Limited; DJakes Fast Food and Restaurant Nigeria Limited and Ebiwise Resources.

Count one of the charge read in part:

“That you, Warpamo Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, and Iwejuo Joseph Nna (a.k.a. Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah), on or about the 11th day of June, 2013 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Concealing the proceeds of crime in the sum of N 1, 667,162,800.00 (One Billion, Six Hundred and Sixty Seven Million, One Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 17(a) of the same Act."

Another count reads:

"That you, Warpamo Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, on April 27, 2016 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court failed to furnish any information in relation to your interest in Ibijige Services Limited as required in page 12 of the Declaration of Assets Form and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 27 (3) (c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission.”

The offenses alleged to have been committed by the accused persons are contrary to and punishable under sections 17(a), 18(c), and 27 (3) (c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.

Image