Posted by By Ndubuisi Ugah on
The Economic and Financial Crimes Comm-ission (EFCC) yesterday moved decisively against Governor Diepreye Alamieye-seigha of Bayelsa State by submitting to the state's House of Assembly an interim report of an investigation
The Economic and Financial Crimes Comm-ission (EFCC) yesterday moved decisively against Governor Diepreye Alamieye-seigha of Bayelsa State by submitting to the state's House of Assembly an interim report of an investigation into alleged money laundering activities of the governor, who jumped bail and returned to the country from London on Monday morning.
In the accompanying letter, dated November 21, 2005, and addressed to the Speaker, EFCC Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, wrote: "Please find attached the above report for further necessary action by the State House of Assembly. You will note that the governor has been indicted, is being prosecuted in the United Kingdom and he has jumped bail."
The report entitled "Interim Investigation Report: Case of Conspiracy, Fraudulent Diversion of Public Funds and money Laundering- Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha," was a joint investigation between the commission and the Central Confiscation Bureau of the Bureau of Prosecution Service, Ludgate Hill London, which detailed the accounts of how the governor allegedly diverted public funds into his private accounts through various fronts.
According to the report, which the EFCC hopes the lawmakers would use to initiate an impeachment proceeding against the governor, the lead on Alamieyeseigha's alleged illicit financial transactions was given by the Royal Bank of Scotland that turned over a suspicious transaction to the Metropolitan police.
The investigators said the bank assisted them in gathering information on a suspicious transaction involving a company named Rapid Trades of Nigeria Limited and Santolina Investment Corporation, whose director and sole signatory for its account was the governor. "Enquiries made by the police in the UK at National Criminal Intelligence Service (NIS) further confirmed that Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha is the sole director of the company, i.e. Santolina Investment and the company holds an account with the National Westminster Bank opened on 6th January, 2004 and at one time the account balance stood at three million pounds. Upon the examination of the account, it was discovered that several lodgments originated from Nigeria" it said.
This initial investigation, the report stated, unveiled other staggering financial deals of the governor, showing that he was the owner of hefty sums in several bank accounts in the United Kingdom. The investigators detailed sum of the accounts as follows:
Barclays Bank Plc, opened on 5th January, 2004 with a balance of 203, 753.34 pounds as at 15th February 2005.
HSBC, London, which was closed in March 2003 with all the money transferred to Santolina Investment Corporation's account no. 10182819 Sort Code 15-00-25 London with the National Westminster Bank, London.