The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, a firm, Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, and one Jimoh Yusuf over issue bordering on N1.5bn alleged fraud.
The EFCC will also on Wednesday arraign a former Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa, for an alleged N1.6bn fraud.
According to Punch, a source revealed that Fani-Kayode, Usman and Yusuf would be charged with 17 counts bordering on money laundering and fraud.
The source added, “We have filed charges against Fani-Kayode, Usman, Yusuf and a company, Joint Trust Dimensions Limited. Yusuf was the signatory to the account of Joint Trust Dimensions Limited. They will be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos this week.”
It can be recalled that the anti-graft agency had arrested Fani-Kayode and Usman for their role in the sharing of a N4bn campaign fund during the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.
The money was said to have emanated from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The money was allegedly transferred to the account of JTDL and then distributed to some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Usman, who was the Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, was alleged to have transferred N840m into the bank account of Fani-Kayode.
Fani-Kayode allegedly received the funds in three tranches.
The first tranche of the payment, involving N350m, hit the account on February 19, 2015. Another N250m was also paid into the account on February 19, 2015, while N240m was credited to the account a month later; precisely on March 19, 2015.
Apart from Fani-Kayode, others, who also received the funds, were the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae (N100m); a former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa; while a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, also got N350m in two tranches while Nenadi Usman took N36.9m.
A coalition of pro-Jonathan groups, headed by a former Special Adviser to the President on Political matters, Prof. Rufai Alkali, also received N320m.
The accounts of those accused of receiving the funds had since been frozen by the EFCC.
Usman has returned about N23m to the EFCC while two of her properties in Abuja have been seized by the anti-graft agency.
