The wife of a former president may soon be invited by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to explain her role in the sourcing
and disbursement of huge funds spent by the Presidency in the last two
weeks before the general elections.
The fund, estimated at over a
trillion naira, was routed and disbursed through the Amnesty Office to
some notable politicians in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Investigators
of the disbursement noticed that the release of about 40 per cent of
the funds was authorized by the former First Lady.
Also under
investigation by operatives of the anti-graft agency, is the source of
the funds, which has not been established due to the Amnesty office’s
boss departure from the country.
According to sources, the failure of
the former head of the presidential Amnesty Programme to return to the
country has slowed down investigations of how the funds were sourced,
“because he allegedly disbursed the bulk of the money, which was not
part of the funds allocated to his office.”
It was gathered that the
suspected Amnesty boss who will face 14 petitions written to the EFCC
against him, left the country soon after preliminary investigations into
the sourcing and disbursement of funds for the elections.
“Ordinarily,
he should have been here to defend himself against the petitions, but
he has refused to show up. It is highly suspected that he is not in any
hospital. It was all a dummy be sold to Nigerians. He left this country
as soon as he sensed the EFCC may invite him to explain his role in the
funds disbursement”, a source said.
Already, some of his aides,
including personal assistants and driver, have been interrogated on the
matter. The investigating team would also want to ascertain his interest
in an airline that operates in South Africa with about 12 aircraft.
EFCC’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujare, could not be reached for comments on the matter before Press time.
However,
a source who did not want his name in print, said efforts were being
made to get him back to the country for interrogation.
In the past
few months, the present administration has increased the tempo of its
hunt for public funds suspected to have either been looted from
government coffers, especially during the immediate past administration.
Already,
many serving and retired military officers, including former service
chiefs as well as top politicians have been interrogated by the
anti-graft agency.
Government sources have since disclosed that some
of those involved have returned part of their loots in a bid to escape
prosecution and public ridicule. Similarly, many push buildings
belonging to some of those under investigation have been sealed in many
parts of the country.
SOURCE: http://sunnewsonline.com/new/efcc-may-go-after-ex-first-lady/
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