The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has seized as many as 14
properties which have been traced to an ex Nigerian minister.
Former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed
It has been revealed that the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission says it has seized14 properties located in “choice areas” of
Abuja traced to the immediate past Minister of the Federal Capital
Territory, Mr. Bala Mohammed, and his son, Shamsuddeen.
According to a Punch Metro report, the EFCC stated this in a court application filed by one of its prosecutors, Mr. Ben Ikani.
The application, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on
September 11, 2017, sought the interim forfeiture of the properties.
The anti-graft agency stated that although it had “recovered and
seized” the properties, they could not be forfeited to the Federal
Government without a court order.
The EFCC stated that both Mohammed and his son “have denied ownership and connection” to the properties.
But the commission maintained that “preliminary investigation has
revealed that the properties listed on the schedule are unlawfully
acquired through corrupt practices by the former minister and his son
while in office as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.”
The properties, according to the EFCC, included one “mansion”
located at Sunrise Estate, Asokoro, Abuja; and three sets of
four-bedroomed semi-detached duplex at Green Acres Estate, Apo-Dutse,
Abuja.
Others were two sets of four-bedroomed fully-detached duplexes each
with boys’ quarters on Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja, a trekable distance
to Transcorps Hilton Hotel Abuja.
Also listed as part of the seized properties was a four-bedroomed
detached duplex with boys’ quarters located at 9, Platinum Luxury Home
White Estate, Asokoro, Abuja.
Title documents attached to the EFCC’s application stated that some
of the facilities in some of properties included “excellent road and
drainage network; dedicated transformer; borehole for constant water
supply; fitted kitchen, bedroom cabinet and wardrobes; ample parking
space; and children playing ground.”
The rest of the properties are plots of land in six different locations in Abuja.
Some of the plots of land were said to be located at Karasana
West, Abuja, measuring 84,657.30 square metres; Industrial Area 1
Extension, Abuja, measuring 1.45Ha; and Guzape, Abuja measuring 2.7Ha.
Others were located at Industrial Area 1 Extension, Abuja,
measuring 1.26Ha; Karasana West, Abuja measuring 64,507m2; and Dakibiyu,
Abuja measuring 1,251.15m2.
Already, the EFCC is prosecuting the former minister before a High
Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja, on six
corruption-related charges, and his son, Shamsuddeen, before the Federal
High Court, Abuja, on 15 counts of money laundering and failure to
declare some assets.
The charges against Shamsuddeen involve about N1.1bn.
Two high courts in Abuja had in February ordered the former
minister and his son to forfeit 10 properties located in Jabi, Garki,
Maitama and Jahi and other areas of Abuja.
But the EFCC stated in its fresh application that “the crux of
this application is that the respondents are being investigated for
offences bordering on abuse of office, land scams, corruption and
corrupt practices, money laundering and diversion of revenue of
government while being the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja.”
It also stated that the properties traced to the father and son were “reasonably
suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and crimes, kept and
concealed in the names of the proxies and nominees of the former
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohmmed, and his
son, Shamsuddeen Bala Mohammed, and for their benefit.”
According to the EFCC, the properties were held in the names of different companies and one Maimuna S. Aliyu.
The commission described Aliyu as Bala’s proxy allegedly used to
acquire the houses 1A and 2A of No. 7 Gana Street Maitama, Abuja.
The companies, in whose names some of the properties were said to
be held, are Intertrans Global Logistics/Bird Trust Agloallied Limited,
Gal Vac Mining Limited, and Diakin Telecommunication Limited.
Giving the details of its investigation, the EFCC maintained that
the former minister and his son are the owners of the of Diakin
Telecommunications Ltd, Bal-Vac Mining Ltd, Bird Trust Nig Ltd and
Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd, and Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd in
whose names some the properties were acquired.
The commission also alleged that Bala, while in office as the FCT
minister, appointed one JemilaTangaza as Special Assistant and,
thereafter, Director of Abuja Geographic Information System (A018) “to facilitate fraudulent allocations of plots of land to her and her proxies and nominees in choice areas.”
The commission alleged that the plots of lands were sold and their “proceeds
laundered in the acquisition of some of these houses like House No 9
Plantinurn White Estate Abuja, acquired in the name of Mohammed Musa.”
It said Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd was linked to the son of the former minister, Shamsuddeen.
The affidavit filed in support of the forfeiture application read in part,
“That investigation revealed that the former Minister of the Federal
Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, and his son are the owners and
beneficiaries of Diakin Telecommunications Ltd, which they used to
acquire House FS1A, Green Acres Estte, Apo-Dutse, Abuja, and No. FS1B
Green Acres Estte, Apo-Dutse, Abuja, while Senator Bala Mohammed was
Minister of Federal Capital Territory. A copy of the sales agreement
between Abuja Investment Company Limited with Diakin Telecommunication
Ltd in respect of the houses at FS1A and FS1B is hereby annexed and
marked as exhibits EFCC A1 and 2.
“That investigation equally revealed that the former Minister
of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Senator Bala Mohammed, and his
son used a company known as Diakin Telecommunication Ltd to corruptly
acquire Plot N0; 32 Cadastral Zone D06 Karsana West, Abuja; Plot 1420
Cadastral Zone B10, Dakibiyu and Plot 1261 Cadastral Zone C16 Industrial
Area 1 Extension Abuja. Copies of C of O dated 11/6/2013, 06/04/2013
and 06/09/2014 issued by the FCT minister in the name of Diakin
Telecommunication Ltd is hereby annexed and marked as exhibit EFCC A3, 4
&5 respectively.
“That investigation revealed that the former Minister of the
Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Senator Bala Mohammed, and his son are
the owners and beneficiaries of Bal-Vac Mining Ltd, Bird Trust Nig Ltd
and Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd which they used to acquire houses
and plots of land in choice areas in the Federal Capital Territory
Abuja, particularly Houses 1A and 2A of No. 7 Gana Street, Maitama,
Abuja; House FS2B Green Acres Estate, Apo-Dutse, Abuja, respectively. A
copy of the Sub-Lease Agreement in respect of houses number 1A, 2A &
FS2B is hereby annexed and marked as Exhibits EFCC A 6, 7 and 8
respectively.”
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