Dwelleth Morountodun
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said the payment of N1.4 billion, to the President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Paul Usoro SAN,
from the accounts of Akwa Ibom State government for unofficial transaction is criminal diversion of public funds.
EFCC in a statement signed by Tony Orilade, said its attention was drawn to the speech made by Usoro, at the Association’s National Executive Committee, which held on Thursday 6 December in Abuja.
According to EFCC, it had invited Usoro in June this year, to explain his role regarding the inflow of N300 million from the Akwa Ibom State government’s account into the account of Paul Usoro Chambers, adding that Usoro was also questioned on the aggregate inflow of N1.10 billion from the state government’s account into Usoro’s account.
Under interrogation, Usoro had claimed that the various sums of money received from the state, under the administration of Gov. Udom Emmanuel, were payments for “legal fees” to him and other “eminent members of the Inner Bar and a host of other members of the Outer Bar that he had engaged to work with him in respect of the election petition matter” involving the governor.
EFCC said: “Usoro is further quoted to have stated that the payments were “independent transactions and that the Akwa Ibom State government’s payments-on-account were in respect of my Firm’s professional services to the state, while the payments to the senior counsel were made by me for and on behalf of governor Emmanuel, at his request.
“Whipping up sentiment, the learned silk then raised the issue of “client-lawyer privilege”, arguing that “judicially and historically”, the “issues of fees, as between a lawyer and his client, are a matter of privilege.”
EFCC stated further: “The learned silk, further accused the EFCC of playing the role of “Auditor and/or Regulator of Legal Fees”. This is definitely not the case. It is worth reiterating that while the EFCC has “Special Powers” to investigate suspicious financial transactions, Section 18 (d) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004, empowers the Commission, to investigate and prosecute any person, who “engages in the concealment or disguise of the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement, rights, with respect to or ownership of property knowing such property is derived from any offence referred under this Act commits an offence.
The anti graft agency, added that the SAN, has questions to answer before a competent court of jurisdiction on allegation of money laundering as no amount of intimidation or razzmatazz can stop the Commission from carrying out legitimate assignment of investigation and prosecution of financial impropriety.
“The act of making such humongous payment of over a billion naira to an individual from state vault raises reasonable suspicion of money laundering. This may amount to a disservice to the people of Akwa Ibom state, and we shall not rest on our oars and allow such financial crime to continue unabated. Paul Usoro, SAN, surely has a case to answer.” it said.