Jonathan’s Cousin and Wife to Appear in Court Today Over $40m Fraud; Judge Withraws in Suswam’s Trial

Jonathan’s Cousin and Wife to Appear in Court Today Over $40m Fraud; Judge Withraws in Suswam’s Trial

Former President Goodluck Jonathan recently told the international press, that he was being investigated by the present administration, for corruption. While he remains a free man and there is presently no known charge filed against him by the anti-corruption agencies, the ex-president may not be far from the truth.

According to The Nation, a cousin of the former Nigerian leader, named Mr Roberts Azibaola, who has been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will be arraigned in court on Tuesday (today) alongside his wife, Stella, with respect to allegations bordering on money laundering to the tune of $40 million.

The Azibaolas are alleged to have received the payment of the stated sum through their company, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, from the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA).

Mrs Stella Azibaola was reportedly taken into custody on Monday night to join her husband in preparation for their arraignment before a federal high court in Abuja by the EFCC which has filed a 7-count charge against the couple.

The EFCC has also reportedly traced the source of the $40million to a bank in London. The cash was said to have been wired through Citibank N. A. Canada Square Canary in Wharf London E 145 LB into the account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited.

The proximity of the couple to the former president may be an indication that the EFCC is moving closer to probing the ex-president.

Meanwhile, in another high-profile corruption case being handled by the EFCC, there was a setback on Monday when Justice A R Mohammed of the federal high court in Abuja withdrew from the ongoing trial of the former governor of Benue state, Dr Gabriel Suswam.

Vanguard reports that Justice Mohammed disqualified himself from the matter, following an online media report alleging that he had been bribed by Suswam.

Suswam, who was Benue state governor from 2007 to 2015, is facing trial alongside his former commissioner for finance, Mr Omodachi Okolobia for fraudulent conversion of the sum of N3.1bn belonging to the state.

“It is trend these days to accuse a Judge handling a matter of all sorts of wrong doing.

“The allegation is in the public domain and whatever the court does would be subject to public speculation and interpretation,” Justice Mohammed said, while expressing his intention to return the case to the chief judge of the federal high court, Justice Ibrahim Auta to re-assign the case.