Ex-SGF Falae to be docked on money laundering charges

The EFCC, it has been learnt, has finally decided to charge a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, for money laundering.

Chief Falae was accused of receiving N100 million from the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation during the 2015 general elections, on the instruction of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih.

The fund, investigations by EFCC revealed, emanated from the imprest account of the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

In a statement in February, Falae admitted collecting the N100m, but denied knowledge that the money emanated from funds meant for the purchase of arms and from the account of the office of NSA.

However, recent reports indicate that the anti-graft agency, not wanting to allow Falae’s involvement in receiving unlawful money be swept aside, has resolved to charge the former SGF and ex-Minister of Finance with conspiracy to indirectly retain the sum of N100m, which he should have known was part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) and 4 of the same Act.

Read also: EFCC probes NASS allocations from 2014

The 78-year old Falae, it is learnt, has been touring EFCC office in Lagos lately in a bid to avoid arrest and embarrassment by the commission.

The EFCC had March, alleged that about N3.145bn was transferred from the account of the office of NSA to the account of the Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, a company said to belong to the Director of Finance, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman.

The commission alleged that Usman had transferred N840m to the account of the Director of Publicity of the organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in Zenith Bank, Maitama branch, with account number, 1004735721, on February 19, 2015.

The SDP national chairman, Falae, according to EFCC allegedly received N100m through a company, Marreco Limited, where he is chairman. it claimed that the fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account, 1000627022, on March 25, 2014.

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