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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has started moves to recover N2.4 billion and some landed
properties, alleged to have been illegally acquired and linked to a former
Managing Director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr.
Haruna Momoh.
Already,
ICPC had secured an interim forfeiture order from a High Court of the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja, to seize the N2, 417, 037, 404 billion comprising of
foreign and local currencies, stashed in multiple accounts in four different
banks as well as five landed properties located in different parts of Abuja
metropolis.
The
Commission, before approaching Justice O. A. Adeniyi, for the order of interim
forfeiture, had found through investigation that the former PPMC boss allegedly
abused his position by using cronies and shell companies to divert government
funds.
He
allegedly used Multi-Functions Nigeria Limited, Blaid Property limited and
Blaid Construction Limited to carry out several unlawful activities running
into billions of naira. Contracts were secured for the companies from the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) without any corresponding
evidence of execution.
Investigation revealed that the sum of N1.4 billion was traced
to six bank accounts in two different banks operated by Momoh’s wife, Eileen
Ochuko Momoh, who is the owner of Blaid Construction as shown by the
incorporation details of the company.
The
wife has four bank accounts with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) where the
combined sum of N469.2 million in foreign and local currencies was stashed and
two other accounts with Union Bank, where the Commission found $1, 678, 975
million and N496, 137, 895 million respectively.
ICPC
further discovered Euro 173, 601.55, $5, 563.21 and N876, 209, 744 million
three Stanbic IBTC bank accounts traced to Multi-functions Nigeria Limited and
the sum of N800, 663.43 in Citibank also belonging to the same company.
The properties likely to be forfeited are Plot 199, Ebitu Ukiwe
street, Utako, Nos. 21, 22, 23 and 26 Olympia Estate, Kaura District, Plot
1824, Cadastral Zone, BO7, Katampe, plot 1827, Cadastral Zone, BO7, Katampe and
No. 6 Casamance street, Wuse Zone 3, all in Federal Capital, Abuja.
Justice Adeniyi, while granting the interim forfeiture ruled
that the money be placed in an interest-yielding escrow accounts in the name of
ICPC. Kärna Fintrix
