Court seizes 6 Alams' firms
By Ise-Oluwa Ige, Innocent Anaba, Samuel Oyadongha & Emmanuel Ulayi
Tuesday, July 31, 2007

£2.09m, assets also confiscated
Returns to Dubai for treatment
ICPC to prosecute 26 former Govs
Court sets N400m bail hurdle for Dariye
LAGOS — SIX companies belonging to former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, were yesterday confiscated and ordered to be wound-up by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, while their assets running into billions of naira were ordered sold and the proceeds paid into the state government's account.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of £2,093,594 (or N546,428,161) cash and properties owned by the companies in Nigeria and outside the country.


Meanwhile, Ijaw leaders have concluded plan to fly him to Dubai today for the continuation of his medical treatment, while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) vowed yesterday to probe civil servants for aiding state governors to loot public funds.


The Alamieyeseigha's companies are Solomon & Peters Ltd, Santolina Investment Corporation, Pesal Nigeria Ltd, Kpedefa Nigeria Ltd, Jetty Properties Ltd and Herbage Global Services Ltd.


Properties ordered forfeited by the court include Chelsea Hotel, Abuja; property at Plot 26, Dalhatu Close, Abacha Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos; property at No 20, Obagi Street, Diobu, Port Harcourt; property at No 1, Community Road, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos; property at 247, Water Gardens, London, W2 2DG, London; property at 14, Mapesbury Road, London, NW2 4JB; property at Flat 202, Jubilee Heights, Shootuphill, London, NW2 3UQ; property at 68-70 Regent Park, London, property at 4A Ilu Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos; property at 10, Oguda Close, Maitama, Abuja and property at 18, Mississippi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Cash ordered forfeited is £100,000; £70,000; £50,000; £122,175; £70,000; £198,814,88; £120,000; £100,000; £100,000; £250,000; £99,985; £81,985; £19,985; £136,157; £275,027 and £299,465.61.


Chief Alamieyeseigha himself was convicted last Thursday by the High Court for corruption. He got two years each on a three-count charge which was to run concurrently and with effect from the day of his arrest. He has since been released having spent over two years in EFCC detention.


When the matter came up for hearing, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacob, told the court that a further amended charge had been filed against the accused persons, and that it should be read for the plea of the companies to be taken.


After the 25-count charge was read, Jacob said: “Pursuant to section 468 of the Criminal Procedure Act, the accused persons have in writing pleaded guilty to the charge and the court can act on the written plea pursuant to section 218 of CPA and by section 218 of the CPA, we are to demonstrate that an offence had been committed.


“I will urge the court to look at the statements in our proof of evidence, Volume I. The court will see from this how contractors funded the accounts of those companies through contract kickbacks and outright withdrawal from the Bayelsa State government accounts, mostly in Bond Bank. Page 44 to 50 of the proof of evidence is the statement by the officials of the bank, stating how the various sums were remitted to accounts abroad and how monies were remitted to acquire properties in the United Kingdom.


“Also at pages 145 to 185 of the same proof of evidence is the statement of the agents, which are Olatunde Ayeni and Aliyu Abubakar, who happened to be contractors to Bayalsa State government and how they remitted money abroad and how properties were acquired in the country. The proof of evidence is a proof of how the crimes were committed”, he contended, praying the court to enter a guilty verdict against the accused persons.”


Counsel to the companies, Chief Mike Ozekhome, did not object. Justice Muhammad Shuiabu, in his judgement said, “an amended 25-count charge of concealing the nature of various proceeds of crime was filed against the accused persons and they have entered a guilty plea. Upon careful and meticulous consideration of the charge and the proof of evidence, this court is satisfied that the accused person intended to admit to all the charges against them. The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. I consequently find the accused persons guilty as charged”.


After their conviction, counsel to the companies, Chief Ozekhome asked the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convicts, contending that they were first time offenders and that the companies had since the case started not been functional, while all their employees had been forced out of job. He prayed the court to give the company a second chance.


But the prosecution asked the court to order the forfeiture of the affected properties and cash which were acquired with the proceeds of crime. He contended that under the EFCC Act, the companies were to be wound-up and their assets sold and proceeds paid into the Bayelsa State government account.


The court consequently ordered the forfeiture of the assets and cash listed in the schedule attached to the charge.

The charge against the companies read:



That you Solomon & Peters Ltd on or about August 20, 2003 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did transfer the sum of £1,750,000 from Lagos to London to buy the property situate at 247 Water Gardens, London, W2 2DG London which sum you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said crime and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Money Laundering Act 2003.


That you Solomon & Peters Ltd. between July 2001 and December 2003 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did transfer the sum of £1,400,000 from Lagos to London to buy the property situate at 14 Mapesbury Road, London NW2 4JB which sum you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said crime and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Money Laundering Act 2003.


That you Solomon & Peters Ltd between October 1999 and December 2003 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did transfer the sum of £241,000 from Lagos to London to buy the property to wits Flat 202 Jubilee Heights, Shootuphill London NW2 3 UQ which sum you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said crime and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Money Laundering Act 2003.


That you Solomon & Peters Ltd between July 2002 and October 2003 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did convert the sum of £3,000,000 to buy the property situate at 68-70 Regent Park Road, London which sum you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said crime and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Money Laundering Act 2003.


That you Solomon & Peters Ltd on or about 10th December, 2005 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did convert the sum of N4400,000,000.00 to buy the property known as No 18, Mississipi Street, Maitama, Abuja which sum you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said crime and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(11 of Money Laundering Pct 2004.


That you Santolina Investment Corporation on or about April 23, 2004 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did transfer the sum of £100,000 from Lagos to Royal Bank of Scotland, London which sum you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealin9 the nature of the proceeds of the said crime and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Money Laundering Act 2003.


That you Santolina Investment Corporation on or about February’2004 in the Lagos Judicial Division of’the Federal High Court did transfer the sum of £70,000 from Lagos to Royal Bank of Scotland, London which sum you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said crime and thereby committed an offence
punishable under Section 14(1) of Money Laundering Act 2003.



That you Santolina Investment Corporation on or about February 13, 2004 in the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did transfer the sum of £50,000 from Lagos to Royal’. Bank of Scotland, London which sum you knew represent the proceeds of crime with the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said crime and thereby committed an offence ‘punishable under Section 14(1) of Money Laundering Act 2003.

Ijaw leaders to fly Alams to Dubai for treatment


However, Ijaw leaders have concluded plans to fly Chief Alamieyeseigha back to Dubai, United Arab Emirates today to conclude his treatment which was cut short following his deportation to Nigeria allegedly orchestrated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).


Yesterday, religious bodies from far and near offered prayers at Amassoma, Alamieyeseigha’s country home, as they anxiously awaited his return including his aged parents.


The decision to fly the former governor back to Dubai today to continue with his treatment was confirmed to Vanguard in a telephone interview by his cousin and governorship candidate of the Action Congress (AC) in Bayelsa State in the last general election, Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, who said he was with the ailing former governor.


Prince Amgbare who blamed Alamieyeseigha’ poor health for his delayed return to Yenagoa where thousands of Bayelsans are waiting to receive him explained that since his release, friends and supporters including relatives have repeatedly besieged his Lagos residence to see him in spite of doctors’ report that he needed rest.


The former governor, he noted, “is not fit to attend to large number of visitors for now,” adding that the return trip is at the instance of the Ijaw leaders to enable their son recuperate fully before returning to Bayelsa where thousands of his supporters are waiting to receive him.


Also, the Co-coordinator, Ijaw Monitoring Group, Mr. Joseph Evah, said: “Yes, we want him to fully recover from the trauma he passed through in the hands of the EFCC. You know there are some metal objects still in his body that the doctors at Dubai did not remove.”


Evah said the former governor had multiple operations while he was at the Dubai hospital, noting: “He was responding to treatment before he was bundled back by the EFCC and it is only natural that he is taken back there to complete the treatment.”


http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jul/31/399.html

Face of a tired dying imbecilic Ijaw thief.

Commissioner escapes assassination in Diobu
By Chimex Ndubuisi




The newly appointed commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources in Rivers State, Hon. Billy Braide Eldred narrowly escaped assassination. However, two of his relatives were shot dead.
The attackers who stormed the residence of the newly appointed Commissioner in Ojike Street, located in one of the volatile zones of Port Harcourt may be protesting non-permission and for marching ground before the commissioner started celebrating his appointment.
Although details of the mission of the attackers were sketchy as at press time, unconfirmed sources said the Commissioner's offence may not be unconnected with non-clearance from the militants in charge of Diobu zone before embarking on the celebration.
Sources within the Diobu neighbourhood said the attackers arrived the residence of Billy Braide Eldered about 5 hours after he was sworn-in by Governor Celestine Omehia in Government House.
We learnt that prior to the arrival of the attackers, the commissioner's visitors were at his residence, having a good time, dining, wining and dancing. But suddenly guns started blaring in different directions of his home, causing his guests and others to scamper for safety. Sources said the commissioner who was busy at his inner house when the attackers started shooting at the front of his house, quickly escaped through the back door.
The gunshots, sources said hit two persons, who died almost immediately. As at press time, the identity of the deceased persons was still unknown, while their bodies were allegedly deposited in an unidentified morgue.
Meanwhile, anxiety is reported to be at its peak in Mile 1, Port Harcourt, following the unfortunate incident. This last incident, we were authoritatively informed is coming barely 7 days after a major shooting took place in Diobu, where more than 6 persons were allegedly killed by the hoodlums.
People in the zone, sources said, are beginning to avoid the roads the moment it gets to 9.00pm because of the activities of hoodlums.