Mohammed Abacha Stole N446.3 Billion
Mohammed Abacha — the son of late former Nigerian military dictator,
General Sani Abacha stole about N446.3 Billion from Government treasury
between 1995 and 1998, court documents have revealed.
The heir of the late Military dictator is currently facing fresh criminal
lawsuit from the Government over the monumental theft carried out while
his father reigned.
The latest lawsuit follows a decision by the Nigerian Supreme Court in
January ordering the Nigerian government to file fresh charges against the
dictator's son. Also, the US Government recently froze assets belonging to
the late dictator through its kleptocracy initiative.
In the nine-count charge filed by private prosecutor, Daniel Enwelum upon
a fiat dated February 18th, 2014 by Attorney General of the Federation,
Mohammed Adoke, the government accused Mohammed of “dishonestly receiving
stolen property” and “voluntarily assisting in concealing money.”
This fresh charge substitutes an earlier 121-count filed against Mohammed
and Atiku Bagudu — the late ruler's ally. However, Bagudu was excluded
from the fresh charge.
According to a new charge, dated March 24th, 2014, Mohammed hid
£141,100,000 $384,353,000 in cash and travellers cheques.
Mohammed, in Count One, is alleged to have dishonestly received between
August and December 1995 in Abuja, $36,480,000.00 made up of cash and
travellers' cheques — property of the Federal Government — believed to
have been stolen.
In Count Two, he is alleged, between August and December 1995 in Abuja, to
have voluntarily assisted in concealing $57,960,000.00 believed to have
been stolen from the Federal Government.
In another count, he was accused of receiving $26,913,500.00 believed to
have been stolen from the Federal Government, between October and December
1996.
He was also accused, within the same time, of voluntarily assisting in
concealing $26,913,500.00 allegedly stolen from the Federal Government.
Also in June 1997 in Abuja, he allegedly dishonestly received
$10,000,000.00 believed to have been stolen from the Federal Government.
Count Six accused him of dishonestly receiving, between February and
December 1997, $87,000,000 and £41,143,000 believed to have been stolen
from the Federal Government.
Two other counts accused Mohammed of voluntarily assisting in concealing
the amounts mentioned in count six, and dishonestly receiving (between
January and August 1998), $167,000,000 and £99,957,000 believed to have
been stolen from the Federal Government.
The alleged offences are punishable under sections 317 and 319 of the
Penal Code.
Mohammed was to be arraigned on Thursday before Justice Mamman Kolo of the
High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, but the accused was absent in
court.
Nevertheless, Enwelum notified the judge of Mohammed's unwillingness to
turn up in court, despite having been served with the charge and with
evidence to that effect in a an affidavit sworn to by bailiff of the court
He urged the court to accept the fresh charge and consider the receipt of
the charge by the defence lawyer, Abdulllahi Haruna, as an appropriate
service.
Haruna defended Mohammed's absence, saying he was unaware of the new
charge and imploring the court to adjourn the case to a further date to so
that the accused would be present in court.
Justice Kolo accepted the amended charge, also granting an order
discharging Bagudu from the charge. He adjourned the hearing to 29th April
2014.