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Mr. Kase Lawal, one of Nigeria's most controversial economic players, is in the news again.Lawal, who was once a big player in the seamy and corruption-ridden world of Nigerian oil business and is now a fugitive from justice, was last week honored in New York City by the U.S.-based Nigerian Lawyers Association.
In a bizarre twist, Nigeria's Attorney General, Michael Andoakaa, whose office should be seeking Lawal's extradition, was on hand lend official imprimatur to the fugitive's so-called "honor."
In 1999, Nuhu Ribadu, who was then an Assistant Police Commissioner (ASP), brought a case to a Lagos High Court against a group of alleged oil block thieves. Shortly after the institution of the case, its highly connected suspects reportedly bribed both the then Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General of the Federation to intervene by 'killing' the case.
The main suspect, Mr. Kase Lawal –who holds dual Nigerian and US citizenship-, fled the country, leaving behind his staff members led by one Mr. Osahon to face the music.
The then Attorney General moved swiftly to quash the case by claiming that only the office of the Attorney General of the federation was empowered to initiate prosecution against criminals. Despite this move, Ribadu would not give up. The case became a subject of protracted litigation known as Osahon V. FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria). The case tested the power of the police and other security agencies to initiate criminal prosecution. While the Attorney General who provided the basis for the challenge of the Osahon group carried the day at the High Court and the Appellate Court, the Supreme Court in 2006 ruled that the police and other security agencies could initiate criminal proceedings without express permission from the AGF's office effectively empowering the police to prosecute Kase Lawal and co for their crimes.
It was a sort of curious coincidence that some of the designed to meet Sept. 15 in an event organized by theu003cbr />Nigerian Lawyers Association (NLA) at the Crown Plazau003cbr />Hotel in New York .u003cbr />u003cbr />The event honored the same Mr. Kase Lawal who isu003cbr />considered a fugitive from law as an arrest warrantu003cbr />was issued by the High Court in Lagos against him.u003cbr />Kase Lawal is currently Chairman and CEO of Houston,u003cbr />Texas based CAMAC International Corporation ("CAMAC").u003cbr />Nuhu Ribadu was billed to deliver the keynoteu003cbr />address, while the controversial Attorney General ofu003cbr />the Federation, Micheal Aondoakaa was also billed tou003cbr />give a pep talk.u003cbr />u003cbr />However, Nuhu Ribadu for inexplicable reasons pulledu003cbr />out of the event a few hours before the scheduledu003cbr />event in New York. Most people assumed that theu003cbr />presence of Michael Aondokaa, a feisty Attorneyu003cbr />General known to have taken on the EFCC since hisu003cbr />assumption office, must have been responsible foru003cbr />Ribadu's last minute cancellation of hisu003cbr />participation. A source within EFCC also told us thatu003cbr />Ribadu didn't want to glorify Attorney Generalu003cbr />Aondankaa by sharing the platform with him at the sameu003cbr />event.u003cbr />u003cbr />EFCC sources told Saharareporters that upon properu003cbr />background check on Mr. Kase Lawal, the Economic andu003cbr />Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found out that Mr.u003cbr />Kase Lawal was part of the Osahon group that Nuhuu003cbr />Ribadu had tried to prosecute in 1995 against allu003cbr />pressures. They contend that it was therefore improperu003cbr />for Ribadu to attend a forum honoring Kase Lawal, whou003cbr />had escaped from Nigeria in 1999 after he and othersu003cbr />were charged for stealing an oil well.u003cbr />u003cbr />In fact, the Supreme Court's ruling to the effect thatu003cbr />the police and other agencies could prosecute withoutu003cbr />recourse to the attorney general helped save the EFCCu003cbr />from Aondakaa's scheme to emasculate the agency byu003cbr />stripping it of prosecutorial powers. Aondoakaa hadu003cbr />",1] ); //--> principal characters in that landmark case were designed to meet Sept. 15 in an event organized by the Nigerian Lawyers Association (NLA) at the Crown Plaza Hotel in New York.
The event honored the same Mr. Kase Lawal who is considered a fugitive from law as an arrest warrant was issued by the High Court in Lagos against him in 1999, a period that marked a boom in his businesses, especially in South Africa where he secured the assistance of ANC officials in making huge profits from an oil deal that involved Nigeria and South Africa.
Kase Lawal is currently Chairman and CEO of Houston, Texas based CAMAC International Corporation ("CAMAC").Nuhu Ribadu was billed to deliver the keynote address, while the controversial Attorney General of the Federation, Micheal Aondoakaa was also billed to give a pep talk.
However, Nuhu Ribadu for inexplicable reasons pulled out of the event a few hours before the scheduled event in New York. Most people assumed that the presence of Michael Aondokaa, a feisty Attorney General known to have taken on the EFCC since his assumption office, must have been responsible for Ribadu's last minute cancellation of his participation. Sources within EFCC told us that Ribadu didn't want to glorify Attorney General Aondankaa by sharing the platform with him at the same event but then the EFCC Chairman sent his former colleague at the Federal Executive Council, Oby Ezekwesili to represent him.
Principally, EFCC sources told Saharareporters that upon proper background check on Mr. Kase Lawal, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found out that Mr. Kase Lawal was part of the Osahon group that Nuhu Ribadu, as an Assistant Commissioner of Police had tried to prosecute in 1999 against all pressures. They contend that it was therefore improper for Ribadu to attend a forum honoring Kase Lawal, who had escaped from Nigeria in 1999/2000 after he and others were charged for stealing an oil well.
In fact, the Supreme Court's ruling that emerged from that process to the effect that the police and other agencies could prosecute without recourse to the attorney general helped save the EFCC from Aondakaa's scheme to emasculate the agency by stripping it of prosecutorial powers. Aondoakaa had along with a plan to stop the EFCC from prosecutingu003cbr />suspects. It is widely believed that Andoakaa's moveu003cbr />was calculated to save corrupt former governors whou003cbr />are currently facing prosecution by the EFCC. But theu003cbr />AG's efforts collapsed when the West African Baru003cbr />Association President, Femi Falana, publicised theu003cbr />ruling of the Supreme Court public, a move thatu003cbr />persuaded Umar Yar'adua to reverse himself byu003cbr />restoring the powers of the EFCC to prosecute.u003cbr />u003cbr />Mr. Aondoakaa arrived in New York last Wednesday tou003cbr />attend an event that was billed for Saturday, andu003cbr />camped up at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, one of Newu003cbr />York City's most expensive hotels. Saharareportersu003cbr />called his room earlier on Sunday to speak to himu003cbr />about his participation in the event but the phoneu003cbr />rang without a response. A source later told us thatu003cbr />he had left for Nigeria.u003cbr />u003cbr />More curious is that the Attorney General was said tou003cbr />have invited himself to the event in New York whichu003cbr />was planned long before he became the Attorneyu003cbr />General.u003cbr />u003cbr />Sahararareporters is also investigating a tip that theu003cbr />AGF meant with former Delta State governor Jamesu003cbr />Ibori, who sneaked out of Nigeria after orchestratingu003cbr />and funding a plan to destroy the EFCC. Ibori left theu003cbr />country as the agency faced mounting pressure tou003cbr />arrest him for corruption and money launderingu003cbr />offences. Ibori has been sighted in New York City, inu003cbr />Florida (where he owns a sprawling estate) and inu003cbr />California.u003cbr />u003cbr />On October 1, Ibori's money laundering case is due tou003cbr />be heard in a Southwark Crown Court in London. Theu003cbr />court will, among other things, revisit its order tou003cbr />the effect that Ibori's worldwide assets should beu003cbr />frozen.u003cbr />u003cbr />As Ibori's London court case looms, and with theu003cbr />prospect of having the English court order theu003cbr />forfeiture of his ill-gotten wealth, the formeru003cbr />",1] ); //--> supposedly conned Umar Musa Yar'adua to into going along with a plan to stop the EFCC from prosecuting suspects. It is widely believed that Andoakaa's move was calculated to save corrupt former governors who are currently facing prosecution by the EFCC. But the AG's efforts collapsed when the West African Bar Association President, Femi Falana, publicized the ruling of the Supreme Court, a move that persuaded Umar Yar'adua to reverse himself by restoring the powers of the EFCC to prosecute.
Mr. Aondoakaa arrived in New York last Wednesday to attend an event that was billed for Saturday, and camped up at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, one of New York City's most expensive hotels. Saharareporters called his room earlier on Sunday to speak to him about his participation in the event but the phone rang without a response. A source later told us that he had left for Nigeria.
More curious is that the Attorney General was said to have invited himself to the event in New York which was planned long before he became the Attorney General. A source within the NLA who spoke under anonymity said there was nothing strange about Aondoakaa’s invitation to the event, he contended that almost all the Attorney Generals have been invited to NLA events in the past. Efforts at speaking with NLA President, Bola Oloko failed as his comrades won’t give Saharareporters his mobile phone number, insisting instead that we send him e-mails.
Sahararareporters is also investigating a tip that the AGF met with former Delta State governor James Ibori, who sneaked out of Nigeria after orchestrating and funding a plan to destroy the EFCC. Ibori left the country as the agency faced mounting pressure to arrest him for corruption and money laundering offences. Ibori has been sighted in New York City, in Florida (where he owns a sprawling estate that is a subject of anti-corruption investigations) and in also in California.
On October 1, Ibori's money laundering case is due to be heard in a Southwark Crown Court in London. The court will, among other things, revisit its order to the effect that Ibori's worldwide assets should be permanently frozen and seized.
As Ibori's London court case looms, and with the prospect of having the English court order the forfeiture of his ill-gotten wealth, the former Attorney General to send a letter and affidavit to theu003cbr />Southwark Crown Court in London exonerating Ibori ofu003cbr />money laundering charges in Nigeria. Our sourcesu003cbr />indicate that Andoakaa has in principle agreed tou003cbr />offer that aid to Ibori. However, the AG isu003cbr />calculating whether he and Yar'adua can afford theu003cbr />political and other risks of saving a man widelyu003cbr />regarded as one of Nigeria's most corrupt formeru003cbr />public officials.u003cbr />u003c/div>",1] ); D(["mb","u003cdiv styleu003d"direction:ltr">u003cspan classu003dad>u003cbr />u003cbr />u003cbr />u003cbr /> ______________________________u003cwbr />______________________________u003cwbr />________________________u003cbr />Luggage? GPS? Comic books?u003cbr />Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Searchu003cbr />u003ca onclicku003d"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" hrefu003d"http://search.yahoo.com/search?fru003doni_on_mail&pu003dgraduation+gifts&csu003dbz" targetu003d_blank>http://search.yahoo.com/searchu003cwbr />?fru003doni_on_mail&pu003dgraduationu003cwbr />+gifts&csu003dbzu003c/a>u003cbr />u003c/span>u003c/div>",0] ); D(["ce"]); //--> governor is reportedly working frantically with the Attorney General to send a letter and affidavit to the Southwark Crown Court in London exonerating Ibori of money laundering charges in Nigeria. Our sources indicate that Andoakaa has in principle agreed to offer that aid to Ibori. However, the AG is calculating whether he and Yar'adua can afford the political and other risks of saving a man widely regarded as one of Nigeria's most corrupt former
public officials.
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