Showing posts with label Money Laundering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money Laundering. Show all posts

Chibudom Nwuche denies alleged involvement in money laundering, demands apology

Chibudom Nwuche denies alleged involvement in money laundering, demands  apology - TODAY

Former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, has dismissed reports that he was being under investigation by the United States Department of Justice, US DOJ for allegedly laundering $8 million sometime in the past for some officials of the Amnesty programme.

Nwuche who noted that he has not been and would not be involved in any money laundering scheme in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world described such allegations as malicious, false, and designed to smear campaign to blackmail him and tarnish his image.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Lawyer, Godswill Mrakpor of West Point Chambers, Nwuche has asked THE WILL to apologise to him following the publication and failure to do that, he will not hesitate to drag the Company to court and seek redress.

He has also alleged that some highly placed Politicians from South-South were after him and sponsoring the publications against him, with a view to blackmailing and bringing him down.

Meanwhile, Nwuche’s media aide, MacLean Ezebesor, has alleged that the same highly placed politicians in the south-south who have been after Nwuche, since 2015 are the sponsors of these publications, and they will soon be forced to unveil the masquerades, who instead of using their offices for the development of the Niger Delta are using same to blackmail, intimidate and pull down prominent Niger Delta people.

Urging them to emulate leaders from other climes who use their offices to uplift their people and regions, and not for denigration, set up, and blackmail of other leaders, in their quest to be the only ones to be reckoned with, said, “People know these leaders and their records in public office, and if anybody should be investigated by any agencies, they should be the ones.”

Recall that THEWILL had reported that the US DOJ has been investigating Prince Chibudom Nwuche, who allegedly laundered at least $8m from the Amnesty programme and other individuals.

Nwuche’s Lawyer’s letter read, “Our attention has been drawn to false allegations circulating in the social media, which originated from an online publication THEWILL on September 6, 2020, falsely alleging that our client, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is under investigation by the US DOJ for allegedly laundering $8 million sometime in the past for some officials of the Amnesty programme.

“We would like to inform the public that these allegations are entirely false and are obviously sponsored by some political interests as part of their unfolding 2023 agenda. Hon. Nwuche has not been and would not be involved in any money laundering scheme in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world, and is not under any sort of investigation by foreign agencies.

“These false allegations are a smear campaign by THEWILL Nigeria and their known sponsors in an attempt to damage or call into question the reputation of Hon. Nwuche by propounding negative propaganda which are false. As a political figure and a businessman, Hon. Nwuche has conducted himself in an exemplary manner worthy of commendation since 1999 to date. His tenure as Deputy Speaker, House of Reps ended without blemish.

“We hereby call on THEWILL Nigeria to immediately withdraw this false story and issue a public apology to Hon. Nwuche. If they do not comply with this and cease all related statements and publications, a libel lawsuit for substantial damages will be commenced against them.”

Source: Today.ng

EFCC re-arrests Mompha over fresh fraud charge

Internet celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha aka Mompha, who is facing money laundering charges before the Federal High Court, has been re-arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.

Mompha was re-arrested last Friday, August 14 when he went to the EFCC office in Ikoyi, Lagos to reclaim his five wristwatches, one Apple Air pod, one iPhone 8 mobile phone and one pair of sunglasses, seized from him by the anti-graft agency last October.

However, following an application by his lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Justice Mohammed Liman had on July 24 ordered the EFCC to release the items to Mompha.

The judge ruled that since the items were not listed as exhibits in the money laundering charges filed against Mompha, the EFCC had no justification to continue to hold onto them. Justice Liman dismissed the submission by the EFCC that Mompha was still under investigation for another offense, saying there was nothing before the court to back the submission.

“Failure to release the property is illegal. As of today, no charge has been file regarding the items. It is too long to withhold the applicant properties,” the judge had held.

Mompha had barely left the premises of the EFCC office in Ikoyi after collecting the items on Friday when operatives of the anti-graft agency waylaid him and took him into custody.

Confirming his re-arrest, his lawyer, Oyewole said

“I am filing processes tomorrow (Tuesday). They didn’t tell us why they are detaining him. They have not told us the basis for this re-arrest. As far as we are concerned, the EFCC is seeking to overreach the court because this is coming after we filed our no-case submission to the charges. When they had the opportunity to amend their charges they didn’t and they are claiming that there is a new charge.”

The spokesman for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, who also confirmed his re-arrest, said

“The fresh arrest is unconnected to the existing charges in court. It is related to Internet fraud.”