The embattled Senate
President transferred a total of
$3.47 million in 40
installments in four years with
his credit card to the United
States, a document obtained
by PREMIUM TIMES revealed.
He carried out the
transactions through Guaranty
Trust Bank between 2009,
when he served as Kwara
State governor, and 2012 when
he served as the senator
representing Kwara Central
Senatorial District.
Prosecutors say the
beneficiary accounts in the
U.S. were also owned by Mr.
Saraki.
Some of the senator’s
companies, during the same
period, also transferred
thousands of dollars to the
U.S. accounts. The companies
are Carlisle Properties and
West Gate Ltd.
Mr. Saraki is currently facing a
13-count charge bordering on
corruption and false asset
declaration at the Code of
Conduct Tribunal. He allegedly
committed the offence when
he served as governor
between 2003 and 2011.
The politician has denied any
wrongdoing and alleged
political persecution.
Of the 13-count charges filed
against the senate president,
two are related to the transfer
of the $3.47 million.
Count 11 of the charges filed
against Mr. Saraki states: That
you, DR. OLUBUKOLA
ABUBAKAR SARAKI on or
about 25th August, 2008
within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Tribunal, while
being a public officer as the
Executive Governor of Kwara
State did operate a bank
account outside Nigeria when
you transferred the sum of
$73, 223.28 (Seventy Three
Thousand, Two Hundred and
Twenty-Three Thousand
Dollars, Twenty-Eight cents)
from your Guaranty Trust
Bank Plc domiciliary account
No 441441953210 to the
American Express Services
Europe Limited No: 730580 for
onward credit to your
American Express Bank, New
York card account No:374588216836009
and you thereby committed an offence
contrary to paragraph 3 of Part I, Fifth
Schedule to the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as
amended) and Section 7 of the Code of
Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and
punishable under paragraph 9 of the said
Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as
amended) and section 23 (2) of the Code
of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
Count 12 states: That you, DR.
OLUBUKOLA ABUBAKAR SARAKI between
August, 2009 and October 2012 within the
jurisdiction of this Honourable Tribunal,
while being a public officer as the
Executive Governor of Kwara State and
Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
did operate a bank account outside
Nigeria when you transferred the
aggregate sum of $3, 400, 000.00 (Three
Million, Four Hundred Thousand Dollars)
from your Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.
domiciliary account No 441441953210 to
the American Express Services Europe
Limited no: 730580 for onward credit to
your American Express Bank, New York
card account No:374588216836009 and you
thereby committed an offence contrary to
paragraph 3 of Part I, Fifth Schedule to
the Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and section
7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and
Tribunal Act and punishable under
paragraph 9 of the said Fifth Schedule to
the Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and section
23 (2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and
Tribunal Act.
A prosecution witness had told the CCT
that documents related to the transfer
were destroyed in an inferno.
When being cross examined by the
defence counsel, Paul Usoro, at the
Tribunal last Tuesday, the prosecution
witness, Michael Wetkas, said Guaranty
Trust Bank, GTB, told the investigation
team that the transaction documents had
been burnt.
“There were also police reports and
affidavit which they (the GTB) swore to
show that some documents were burnt,”
Mr. Wetkas stated.
The document, obtained exclusively by
PREMIUM TIMES, shows that Mr. Saraki,
on August 26, 2009, transferred the
$72,223.25 to the American Express
Services Europe Limited no: 730580 for
onward credit to the American Express
Bank, New York card account
No:374588216836009.
Following the transfer, the bank charged
him a commission of $732.23. It is not
clear what the money transferred was
meant for.
That same day (August 26) one of his
companies, Carlisle Properties
Investment, transferred another
$49,969.00.
Between September 2009 and October
2012, Mr. Saraki transferred over $3
million.
According to the document, in 2009 the
senate president transferred $127,174.05
on September 8; $85,543.88 on October 21;
and $127,586.41 on November 11.
In 2010, he transferred $140,319 on
January 4; $140,000 on March 15; $84,000
on April 16; $134,000 on May 18; $64,000
on June 21; $80,984 on July 29; $100,000
on August 31; $18,000 on September 2;
$$48,900 on October 11; and $183,232.46
on December 8;
In 2011, Mr. Saraki transferred $32,687 on
February 21; $30,656.74 on March 22;
$111,444.79 on June 22; $43, 651 on July
19; $91,738 on August 16; $10,000 on
August 26; $65,000 on August 29; $112,140
on September 27; $147,000 on November
17; and $86,872.10 on December 14.
The document also shows that in 2012, he
transferred $50,000 on January 4; $145,000
on January 27; $7000 on January 27;
$94,754.63 on February 10; $60,000 on
April 12; $70,000 on May 11; $55,000 on
May 17; $89,411.74 on June 12; $45,000 on
September 6; and $45,308 on September
24; $130,000 on October 11; $77,000 on
February 17; $77,000 on February 20;
$70,648.44 on March 29; $70,000 on July 4;
$138,000 on July 16; and $45,000 on
September 5.
Just as Mr. Saraki was making the
transactions, his companies were also
transferring monies to the U.S. totalling
$2,099,257.00.
For instance, apart from the August 26
transfer in 2009, Carlisle also transferred
$59,964 on September 7; $99,961.30 on
October 16; $109,000 on November 11;
$50,000 on August 12; and $150,000 on
December 31.
In 2010, the company transferred $40,000
on April 14; $44,000 on April 15; $134,000
on May 14; $64,000 on June 17; $40,000 on
July 23; $90,000 on August 27; $10,000 on
August 30; $9,974 on August 31; $6,900 on
September 1; $7,974 on September 2;
$42,600 on October 5; and $183,000 on
December 6.
In 2011, it further transferred $32,000 on
February 21; $30,700 on March 17;
$40,730.35 on May 5; $111,400 on June 7;
$43,660 on July 18; $48,800 on August 10;
$43,000 on August 16; $25,750 on August
29; $40,250 on August 29; $112,800 on
September 26; and $150,200 on November
17.
In 2012, $146,975 on January 26; $71,000
on May 11; $5,450 on June 7; and $5,000
on December 7 were also transferred by
the company.
None of the companies is currently being
prosecuted. Nigerian law, however,
prevents some public officials including
governors and senators from operating a
foreign account; a law Mr. Saraki is
accused of flouting.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/202347-exclusive-bank-documents-show-how-saraki-transferred-3-million-to-u-s.html

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

Do fast and go to jail, make person see road.