The United States has said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has all it needs to prosecute all those implicated in the Halliburton scandal including Mrs. Aisha M. Buhari who allegedly wired $170,000.00 in bribe to disgraced Congressman Williams J. Jefferson in 2002.
A 16-count indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Va., charged Jefferson with solicitation of bribes from Nigeria and other places, honest services wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, racketeering, and conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that from in or about August 2000 through in or about August 2005, Jefferson, while serving as an elected member of the U.S. House of Representatives, used his position and his office to corruptly seek, solicit and direct that things of value be paid to Jefferson and his family members in exchange for his performance of official acts to advance the interests of people and businesses who offered him the bribes.
The U.S Justice Department had at the time requested the EFCC through a letter with Ref: MEW:DPW:KDL:AV 1 File 182.23818 dated June 22, 2006 to investigate Mrs. Aisha M. Buhari and several others linked with bribing Congressman Jefferson.
Mrs. Buhari, Atiku Abubakar, Dumebi Kachikwu, Otunba Fashawe, Aliyu Maigari and others were named in a long chain of Nigerian and American bribe takers that spirited about $45 million—for a technology transfer deal—to the US between 1996 and 2002.
Atiku, chairing of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, then, was, alongside US Congressman Williams J. Jefferson, Siemens, Halliburton, and others, indicted in a U.S. Senate report sent to the EFCC for investigation in 2006.
Peter Carr, Spokesman of the DOJ confirmed the Sentencing memo of Jefferson which indicted Aisha M. Buhari, Abubakar Atiku and others but declined to speak further on the issue.
“Thank you for reaching out to us. We’ll decline to comment beyond what is referenced in the comments sentencing memorandum,” Carr said.
A source in DOJ disclosed that because Jefferson is currently appealing some of his convictions, DOJ may not want to comment further on the matter.
The Sentencing Memorandum obtained from the U.S District Court Eastern District of Virginia listed as exhibit, a wire transfer to Congressman Jefferson from an account owned by Aisha M. Buhari.
“…See also Government Exhibits 36-87 (6/26/02 $170,000 wire transfer from account in Nigeria in the name of Aisha Buhari to an account in the name of The ANJ Group, LLC, identifying “William Jefferson” as Beneficiary), Government Exhibits 36-90
and 36-91 (11/28/03 $50,000 wire transfer from account in British Virgin Islands in the name of Dawson Creek Traders to an account in the name of Jefferson Interests, Inc.),” the 37page sentencing memo said on its page 22.
Curiously, since President Mohammadu Buhari was elected President, the first lady has never followed him to his numerous U.S trips. At the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, she rather sent the wife of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to represent her at the First Lady’s Conference of UNGA.
Sources disclosed that even though Jefferson is currently serving Jail time, those linked to his crime are still being sort after for questioning.
The source confirmed that while Mr. Kachikwu offered to testify against Jefferson, Mrs. Buhari was nowhere to be found during the FBI probe of the matter, reason why she has stayed away from the U.S.
The U.S Senate report, FBI reports and U.S Court papers on the allegations have remained in the coolers of the EFCC as the agency appears to be lacking the political will to carrying on the prosecution.
U.S Investigators had in 2006 asked the EFCC to investigate Bank records of accounts held by Hajiya Aisha M. Buhari from January, 2001, to present, including, but not limited to, accounts at Citizen International Bank, Plot 130, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. The bank records should include documents relating to any wire transfers of $10,000 or more.
Although the Presidency through a text message by Mallam Garba Shehu said the Aisha M. Buhari is not the same as the President’s wife. U.S investigators said investigations by EFCC would identify the real Aisha M. Buhari named in the documents.
Shehu had also threatened to sue any media house should they publish any reports linking the first lady to the Halliburton/iGate scandal.
The FBI had also asked the EFCC to investigate:
a. Any and all documents in the possession of NDTV and its present or former officers, employees, or representative (including, but not limited to, Otunba Oyewole Fashawe, Ahmed Vanderpuije, Dumebi Kachikwu) relating to or involving some of the above listed individuals and entities
b. Any and all documents in the possession of any Nigeria public official or agency- including but not limited to the Nigerian Communications Commission, Ministry of Communications, Nigerian Embassy to the United States, Nitel, and the Managing Director of Nitel- relating to or involving some of the above listed individuals and entities
c. Correspondences between United States Congressman Williams Jefferson and Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar relating to any U.S. based business venture in Nigeria
d. Correspondences between United States Congressman Williams Jefferson and Jamilah Jennifer Atiku- Abubakar , wife of Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, relating to any U.S. based business ventures in Nigeria
e. Correspondence between iGate, including its officers and representatives and Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and any other Nigerian Public official
f. Correspondence between NDTV, including its officers and representatives and Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and any other Nigerian public official.
g. Correspondence between Atiku Abubakar (or any of his subordinates or representatives), and any government official or agency, including Nitel, relating to some of the above listed individuals and entities
h. Any and all documents in the possession of Rosecom.Net and its present or former officers, employees, or representatives (including Suleiman Yahyah) and any Nigerian public official or agency ( including Nitel and its officials, employees or representatives) relating to business ventures involving IGate or W2-IBBS Limited.
i.Any and all records and documents relating to any concessions for petroleum products transferred to some of the listed individuals or entities
j.Toll records from January 2001 to the present for telephone 234803504000, which number has been used or subscribed by Atonte Diete –Spiff
k. Any and all documents in the possession of the Nigerian Embassy in the United States related to any travel to Nigeria by Congressman Williams Jefferson in connection with U.S. business ventures in Nigeria, including, but not limited to.
l. Records from the Sheraton Hotel & Towers related to the stay of Congressman William Jefferson, Vernon Jackson, and any other party affiliated with Jefferson and Jackson during the February, 2004 trip
m. Records from the Sheraton Hotel & Towers related to the stay of Congressman William Jefferson, Vernon Jackson, Patrick Gerdes, Adolfo Lambaren, BK Son, and any other party affiliated with Jefferson and Jackson during the May, 2004 trip.
n. Records and filing relating to some of the listed entities. The requested documents include, but are not limited to company formation documents, shareholder documents, ownership record, management documents, documents relating to payment of fees related to company filings, and any other company information. The request was particular on Diverse Communications Limited, a company associated with William J. Jefferson through which he was to collect kickback in form of percentage of profit for his official act in respect of NDTV / IGate deal
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