The immediate past Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji\u00a0 Bala
\nMohammed, and his son, Shamsudeen, have lost 10 choice houses and plots to
\nthe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), at least for now.<\/p>\n
The agency believes the properties were acquired by father and son with
\nstolen public funds.<\/p>\n
They include three plots of land with development at various stages of
\ncompletion at No 54 Mike Akhigbe Way, Jabi, Abuja; Plot 2276 Sunrise
\nEstate, Asokoro, Abuja and Plot 1804 Damaturu Crescent, off Ahmadu Bello
\nWay, Garki 11, Abuja; Nos. 1 and 3, Marian Street, Asokoro, Abuja and a
\ntwin plaza at Wuse Zone 3 by Tamarak Guest Inn, Abuja.<\/p>\n
The rest are: No. 7 Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja; an estate and plaza at
\nDawaki, opposite Gwarinpa, Abuja; an Estate at Jahi District, Abuja; three
\nnumber duplex Abuja Investment Company Limited Estate, Abuja and a shop at
\nDubai Market, Kaura District, Abuja.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe seizure of the first three properties is on the strength of an
\ninterim forfeiture order by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court,
\nAbuja which temporarily forfeited the properties to the federal government
\npending the conclusion of investigation and determination of criminal
\ncharges against the suspect,\u201d the Head of Media and Publicity of the
\nanti-graft Commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe court also gives the Commission power to appoint competent
\npersons\/firm to manage the assets\/properties listed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rest properties were confiscated on the strength of the order by
\nJustice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja which forfeited
\nthe assets to the federal government pending the conclusion of
\ninvestigation and determination of the criminal charges against the
\nsuspects.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the court also forbids \u201cany disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease,
\nsale or alienation or otherwise of the property\/assets.\u201d
\nThe EFCC plans to arraign the ex-Minister in court any moment from now to
\nface trial for alleged corruption.<\/p>\n
It was gathered yesterday that the EFCC has gone far in its investigation
\nof the ex-Minister.<\/p>\n
He said the properties have been placed under temporary forfeiture until
\nthe trial of the two persons is concluded.<\/p>\n
Senator Bala Mohammed was arrested in connection with alleged N1billion
\nfictitious contracts. He was also\u00a0 questioned on alleged allocation of 12
\nchoice plots to his son running into billions of Naira; 37 other
\ncommercial plots of land worth about N8billion to his suspected front and
\nthe controversial N1trillion Abuja land swap.<\/p>\n
A mansion allegedly worth N782million, belonging to the ex-Minister, has
\nbeen placed under Interim Assets Forfeiture.<\/p>\n
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja on February 3, 2017
\ngranted Shamsudeen Bala, bail in the sum of N100million with two sureties
\nwho must be private businessmen or public servants of the rank of
\nassistant director and above.<\/p>\n
Bala is being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 15-count charge of money
\nlaundering to the tune of N1.2 billion.<\/p>\n
The accused was docked on February 1, 2017, along with four companies \u2013
\nBird Trust Agro Allied Limited, Intertrans Global Logistic Limited, Diakin
\nTelecommunications Limited and Bal-Vac Mining Nigeria Limited.<\/p>\n
Bala and Diakin Telecommunications Limited were accused of making cash
\npayment of the sum of N74, 244,005 (seventy-four million, two hundred and
\nforty-four thousand, five naira) to Abuja Investment Company Ltd without
\ngoing through a financial institution.<\/p>\n
The offence was said to be in breach of Section 1 of the Money Laundering
\n(Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended in 2012).<\/p>\n
On arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the charge.<\/p>\n
One of the counts said: \u201cThat you, Shamsudeen Bala (alias Shamsudeen
\nMohammed Bala), Bird Trust Agro Allied Ltd and Intertrans Global Logistics
\nLtd sometime in 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable
\nCourt did without going through a financial institution make cash payment
\nof the sum of N296,000,000 (two hundred and ninety six million naira) only
\nto A & K Constructions Ltd Abuja and Sunrise Estate Development Ltd for
\nConstruction of a house on plot nos 2116 and 2276 at Asokoro Gardens
\n(alias Sunrise Estate) Abuja, which sum exceeded the statutory limit and
\nthereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Money Laundering
\n(Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section
\n16(2)(b) and (4) of the same Act.\u201d<\/p>\n
The trial of the ex-minister\u2019s son is to commence on March 27, 2017.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The immediate past Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji\u00a0 Bala Mohammed, and his son, Shamsudeen, have lost 10 choice houses and plots to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":50658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n