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DETAILS: EFCC’s 10-Count Corruption Charge Against NBA President Usoro

EFCC’s allegations against Usoro relate to converting to personal use, concealing the source of, disguising the origin of and retaining in his account sums of money to the tune of billions of naira belonging to the Akwa Ibom State government. It said Usoro committed the alleged offences in 2015 and in 2016, and named as Usoro’s accomplices Emmanuel Udom, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, whom it acknowledged is currently constitutionally immune to criminal prosecution; Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large); Nsikan Linus Nkan, Commissioner of Finance of the state (still at large); Mfon Jacobson Udomah, Accountant General of the state (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large).

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 10-count charge against Paul Usoro, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), SaharaReporters can report.

Earlier on Tuesday, SaharaReporters had reported that the commission arrested Usoro days before he is scheduled to preside over his first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting as President of the association.

He was subsequently released, and SahararReporters has now laid hands upon the corruption charges    for which EFCC is seeking to prosecute him.

EFCC’s allegations against Usoro relate to converting to personal use, concealing the source of, disguising the origin of and retaining in his account sums of money to the tune of billions of naira belonging to the Akwa Ibom State government.

EFCC said Usoro committed the alleged offences in 2015 and in 2016, and named as Usoro’s accomplices Emmanuel Udom, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, whom it acknowledged is currently constitutionally immune to criminal prosecution; Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large); Nsikan Linus Nkan, Commissioner of Finance of the state (still at large); Mfon Jacobson Udomah, Accountant General of the state (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large).

The commission also said Usoro was paid with Awka Ibom State’s funds for legal services he rendered in his personal capacity to Udom, who was then a governorship candidate but is now a governor.

EFCC listed its witnesses who would give evidence of their investigation, tender exhibits and reveal their findings as Ibrahim Musa Miringa and Abdulrah Mohammed Arabo

It said they took statement of the suspect and witnesses, while documents recovered by them in the course of the investigation would be tendered and analysed before the court.

It added that Udom Idongesit Ekom would give evidence of the transaction source of the sum of N300,000,000.00 and how the account of Paul Usoro & Co was opened.

More witnesses — Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), Theophilus Oyesanya (SAN), Onyechi Ikeazu (SAN), Festus Jumbo and D.D. Dodo — will give evidence of the legal services rendered with the defendant for Emmanuel Udom, for which they received payments from the defendant.

Representatives of Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Diamond Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Sterling Bank will testify as well.

THE CHARGES IN FULL

Count 1: That you Paul Usoro (SAN), Emmanuel Udom (currently constitutionally immune to criminal prosecution), Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large), Nsikan Linus Nkan (Commissioner of Finance Akwa Ibom State) (still at large), Mfon Jacobson Udomah (Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State) (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large), sometime in 2015 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired among yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: conversion of the sum of N1, 400, 000, 000 (one billion four hundred and ten million naira) property of Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (A) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

Count 2: That you Paul Usoro (SAN), Emmanuel Udom (currently constitutionally immune to criminal prosecution), Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large), Nsikan Linus Nkan (Commissioner of Finance Akwa Ibom State) (still at large), Mfon Jacobson Udomah (Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State) (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large) on or about the 14th day of March 2016 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N300, 000, 000 (three hundred million), property of the Government of AKwa Ibom State of Nigeria, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

Count 3: That you Paul Usoro (SAN), Emmanuel Udom (currently constitutionally immune to criminal prosecution), Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large), Nsikan Linus Nkan (Commissioner of Finance Akwa Ibom State) (still at large), Mfon Jacobson Udomah (Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State) (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large) on or about the 14th day of March 2016 in Nigerian within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court concealed the sum of N300, 000, 000 (three hundred million), property of the Government of AKwa Ibom State of Nigeria, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

Count 4: That you Paul Usoro (SAN), Emmanuel Udom (currently constitutionally immune to criminal prosecution), Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large), Nsikan Linus Nkan (Commissioner of Finance Akwa Ibom State) (still at large), Mfon Jacobson Udomah (Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State) (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large) on or about the 14th day of March 2016 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court disguised the origin of the sum of N300, 000, 000 (three hundred million), property of the Government of AKwa Ibom State of Nigeria, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

Count Five: That you, Paul Usoro (SAN) on or about the 14th day of March, 2016 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court used the sum of N300,000,000.00 (three hundred million Naira), property of Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Count Six: That you, Paul Usoro (SAN) on or about the 14th day of March, 2016 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court used the sum of N300,000,000.00 (three hundred million Naira), property of Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria in your Paul Usoro & Co’s account No. 1014604466 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Count Seven: That you, Paul Usoro (SAN) on or about the 24th day of August, 2015 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court retained the sum of N530,000,000.00 (five hundred and thirty million Naira), property of Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria in Paul Usoro and Company’s Clients’ account No. 0690123425 domicile in Access bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Count Eight: That you, Paul Usoro (SAN) on or about the 18th day of September, 2015 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court retained the sum of N40,000,000.00 (forty million Naira), property of Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria in Paul Usoro and Company’s Clients’ account No. 0690123425 domicile in Access bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Count Nine: That you, Paul Usoro (SAN) on or about the 3rd day of December, 2015 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court retained the sum of N260,000,000.00 (two hundred and sixty million Naira), property of Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria in Paul Usoro and Company’s Clients’ account No. 0690123425 domicile in Access bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Count 10: That you, Paul Usoro (SAN) on or about the 27th day of August, 2015 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court transferred the sum of N65,000,000.00 (sixty-five million Naira), property of Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria from Paul Usoro and Company’s Clients’ account No. 0690123425 domicile in Access Bank Plc to Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (Hon. Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Akwa Ibom State) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.