Ex-minister’s Son Faces Trial for Allegedly Laundering N1billion

Ex-minister’s Son Faces Trial for Allegedly Laundering N1billion
by Adedolapo
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will be arraigning Shamsudeen Bala, son of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 after he allegedly paid about N1 billion cash for plots of land and houses.

He is to be arraigned on a 15-count charge with four other organisations including Bird Trust Agro Allied Ltd, Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd, Diakin Telecommunications Ltd and Bal-Vac Mining Ltd at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The whooping sum was allegedly paid by Shamsudeen for five plots of land and four properties in highbrow areas of Abuja to avoid any suspicion by banks and other monitoring agencies.

The Nation reports that the actual purchases include five plots at Asokoro Gardens; House FS 2 B, Green Acre Estate Apo-Dutse, Abuja; House FS 1A, Green Acre Estate, Apo-Dutse; FS 1B, Green Acre Estate, Apo-Dutse, Abuja and House 2A, No. 7, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.

The report said three of the duplexes traced to him have been seized in line with sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004, which empower the anti-graft agency to invoke Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause.

One of the charges reads: “That you Shamsudeen Bala (alias Shamsudeen Mohammed Bala), Bird Trust Agro Allied Ltd, Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd, Diakin Telecommunications Ltd and Bal- Vac Mining Ltd sometime in 2015 in Abuja conspired amongst yourselves to make cash payment exceeding the statutory limit without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.

Read the full breakdown below:

•N80million cash to Sunrise Estate Development Ltd for the purchase of plot nos. 2116 and 2276 at Asokoro Gardens (alias Sunrise Estate) Abuja which sum exceeded the statutory limit and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) and (4) of the same Act;

•N100million cash to Sunrise Estate Development Ltd for the purchase of plot nos. 2116 and 2276 at Asokoro Gardens (alias Sunrise Estate) Abuja which sum exceeded the statutory limit and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as (amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) and (4) of the same Act;

•N110,000,000.00 cash to A & K Construction Ltd, Abuja and Sunrise Estate Development Ltd for the purchase of plot nos. 2116 and 2276 at Asokoro Gardens, which sum exceeded the statutory limit and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as (amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) and (4) of the same Act;

•N200,000,000.00 cash to A & K Construction Ltd Abuja and Sunrise Estate Development Ltd for the purchase of plot nos. 2116 and 2276 at Asokoro Gardens, which sum exceeded the statutory limit and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012 and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) and (4) of the same Act.

•N296,000,000.00 cash to A & K Construction Ltd Abuja for the construction of a house on plot nos. 2116 and 2276 at Asokoro Gardens (alias Sunrise Estate), Abuja which sum exceeded the statutory limit and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) and (4) of the same Act;

•N45,475,000.00 only to Abuja Investment Company Ltd as part payment for the purchase of House FS 2 B Green Acre Estate Apo- Dutse Abuja;

*N74,244,005.00 cash to Abuja Investment Company Ltd as part payment for purchase of House FS 1A Green Acre Estate Apo-Dutse Abuja;

•N74, 244,005.00 only to Abuja Investment Company Limited as part payment for purchase of FS 1B Green Acre Estate Apo-Dutse, Abuja; and paid

•N200million cash to Faruk Saleh at Abuja for House 2A, No. 7 Gana Street, Maitama Abuja