The Royal Bank of Scotland who assisted the Metropolitan Police in gathering evidence for an operation code named ‘Heimdal’ identified a suspicious transaction involving a company named ‘Rapid Trades of Nigeria Ltd’. This company paid a whopping sum of money to another company named ‘Santolina Investment Corporation’ whose Director and Sole Signatory for the account is Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha.
A) Enquiries made by the Police in UK at National crimina1 Intellligence service (NCIS) 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 6, January, 2004 and at one time the account balance stood at £3 million. Upon the examination of the account, it was discovered that several lodgments originated from Nigeria. Chief D S P Alamiwyeseigha has a Personal Account with Barclays Bank Plc. The account was opened on 15th January, 2004 and by 15th Februaiy, 2005 the account balance stood at £203,753. 34. The account shows several large deposits while two credits had been identified to have originated from Nigeria.
B) It has also been established that Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha is a Director of a company named Solomon & Peters Ltd (Chief D S P Alamieyeseigha’s two middle names). Four London Properties namely: 247 Water Gardens London, W2 2DG purchased on 20/08/2003, 14 Mapesbury Road London, Nw 2 4JB purchased for £l.4million.on 6/7/2001; Flat 202 Jubilee Heights, Shoot up Hill, London NW2 3UQ purchased for £240 OOO.O0 and 68-70 regent Park Road, London, N3 purchased for £3million were found to be registered in nthe company’s name.
The Conveyancing file for the purchase of 247 Water Gardens shows various sources of funds but one transaction emanated from Triumph Bank Plc in Nigeria. The transfer was for £894, 990.00 on the 3/7/2005 while the Solicitors who acted for the purchase were a certain Austin and Jed.
3. REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE
The request for the assistance sought for the following enquiries to be conducted which include among other things the obtaining of statements from:
(i) Appropriate Government officials to give details of the status and financial position of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha including his employment history, any salary earned and which Banking Institutions he has dealings with prior to becoming a Governor.
(ii) Appropriate officials of Bond Bank to ascertain details of transfers to Santolina Investment account on 11/02/2004 for £99.985.QO« on 19/4/2004 for £l36J57.00; on 20/4/2004 for £275,027.00: on 5/5/2004 for £ 299.465.61 paid by a certain Le- Global Energy.
(iii) Appropriate official of Bond Bank to ascertain details of transfers to Santolina Investment Account on 12/3/2004 for £81,985.00; on 15/3/2004 for £19,985.00 paid by Country Wide Paymasters Ltd.
(iv) Appropriate official of Metropolitan Bank for details of transfer to Santolina Investment on 26/4/2004 for £99,985.00 paid by Rapid Trades Nigeria Ltd.
(v) Officials of the Commission to interview Emmanuel Ojei to ascertain why he paid Santolina Investment the sum of US$100,000.00 on 25/02/2005 from his HSBC account in London.
(vi) Officials of the Commission to trace Mr. 0. Ayeni who is known to have paid Santolina Investment the sum of £l 8,000.00 on 25/2/2005 from his Barclays Bank account and US$525.000 on 11/6/2004 from his HSBC account in London. He is also to give explanation over the payment of £170,000.00 made into his HSBC account on the 12th of February, 2002 and payments he made to Nedd & Co. for various sums amounting to £243,207.14 between March and July 2002.
(vii) Officials of Gateway Bank Plc to explain the payment to Santolina Investment of US$249.963.25 on 18/10/2004.
(viii) Officials of Triumph Merchant Bank Plc to explain the payment of £894,990.00 to Austin & Jed by Oxyduo Nigeria Ltd.
(ix) Other enquiries to be made include interviewing a certain Alhaji Aliyu Aliyu on the payments he made to Nedd & Co., Solicitors, of £475,724.08 on 22/3/2002 from his HSBC account in London; ascertain the ownership of a company named ‘PESAL NIGERIA LTD suspected to be owned by Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha and investigate allegations of self enrichment leveled against Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha, his children and relations.
4. INVESTIGATION
Investigation commenced in earnest with letters written to the affected banks requesting them to furnish the Commission with the names and addresses of the originators of the transfers, instruments used in the transfers. Account opening packages. Mandate Cards, photo index and statements of the accounts used in effecting the transfers. Other details held by the banks in respect of Santolina Investment were also requested. Some of the affected individuals were also invited to give their response in respect of some transfers traced in/out of their respective foreign accounts. Replies/statements obtained from the affected Banks and individuals are summarized thus:
A) BOND BANK
This is the bank that was principally used to transfer large sums of money to Santolina Investment Corporation. The bank was visited and Ms. Kudi Badmus, the staff of the Bank who is conversant with the transfers made from the Bank was said to be on vacation and the Commission had to order for her recall from vacation to enable us proceed farther in the on-going investigation.
i) KUDI BADMUS
She later appeared at the Commission and volunteered a statement which is summarized below:
She is a Chartered Accountant and came to Bond Bank in 2002 as Treasurer whose duties, among others, include, trading in Foreign Exchange and maintaining the open position of the bank which, in other words, means purchases and sales of foreign currency were referred to her. She explained that when a customer wants to buy forex from Central Bank, the bank gets instruction from the customer, debit the customer’s account and go for bidding at the Central Bank. However, where the customer is buying the forex from an unofficial market, the bank looks for a seller from either domiciliary account with the bank or an external party with account in another bank. She further explained that where it is a customer of the bank that is selling, the buying customer simply issues a Transfer Instruction for the Naira equivalent to the account of the selling customer. The six transfers made to Santolma investment from the Bank were requested for by a customer named Temat Associates, while the foreign curoncies were sourced from countrywide paymasters. Rapid Trades, Digital Sciences, etc Seven (7) other transfers to Santolina Investment were also traced to the same Temat Associates from the Bank through the same unofficial sources development led the investigating team to mount pressure on the bank to customer, one Ehigie Uzamere Edobor who later appeared on 8/8/2005. His statement is summarized below:
ii) EHIGIE E. UZAMERE;
He is an Architect and indigene of Benin City in Edo State. He claimed to have owned four companies namely; Amboy Nigeria Ltd, Speed Concepts Nig. Ltd, Biomedical Engineering Ltd and Tema Associates Ltd. On his relationship with Santolma Investment, Uzamere stated that it was as a result of a property he bought from Chief D S P Alamieyeseigha somewhere at Port Harcourt, Nigeria, for the sum of N430 million through the Governor’s lawyer a certain Banister Yusuf. Uzamere further claimed that he was instructed by the said Barrister Yusuf to remit the proceeds of the sa
le to Santolina’s account abroad.
Uzamere claimed to have secured many contracts from Bayelsa State Government with all his companies except Temat Associates that have not done any job for the state. These contracts include the design and construction of Government House gate, Yenegoa, at the cost of =N=40 million in 2003 with Amboy Nig. Ltd., construction, reception of mast and equipment supply for Bayelsa Television Studio in 2004 for =N=600 million with Speed Concepts while Biomedical Eng. Ltd. was awarded a contract for the supply and installation of medical laboratory equipment to Niger Delta University. About 50% to 60% of the contracts’ sums had already been paid to him through the companies accounts in either Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank or All States Trust Bank.
The result of enquiries made into Temat Associates account with Bond Bank revealed three (3) inflows from an account of Bayelsa State Development Fund being operated at Intercontinental Bank Plc. The credits amounting to =N=845 million were made between 24/3/04 and 1/6/04 which he explained to be payments made to him by “A GROUP PROPERTIES” in respect of three (3) properties they bought from him located on Victoria Island and Ikoyi. He went further to explain that the reason why the money was coming directly from Bayesla State Government was because A GROUP PROPERTIES had earlier executed contracts for the State Government and requested that the payment for the contracts be made directly into his account However, in an additional statement he later made to the Commission, he retracted his earlier statement and claimed that the money was a direct payment to his company TEMAT ASSOCIATES by the Bayelsa State Government on a contract he is executing.
iii) In furtherance of our investigation, Olalekan Yusuf, the lawyer that sold the property to Uzamere on behalf of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha was invited. He volunteered statement confirming the purchase of the property situated at 15, Oromineke layout, Diobu, Port Harcourt at the cost of N430 million by Uzamere. Some of the documents received from Yusuf in respect of the transaction include a copy of instruction signed by Chief D. S. P.
Alamieyeseigha instructing the buyer to remit the proceeds of the transaction to Santolina Investment Account and undated Deed of Assignment.
iv) However, enquiries made in respect of Temat Associates revealed that the same Temat was awarded a contract for the internal fencing of the Governor’s and Deputy Governor’s lodge at the cost of Nl.3 billion two weeks after the purported purchase of the property. Further enquiries made into the statement of account of Temat at Bond Bank revealed that the account was in debit at the time the property was purchased. All the foreign exchange transactions made to Santolina Investment from the account were done in anticipation of in-flows to liquidate the huge debt incun-ed by the customer. The debt including loan facility of N145 million granted him by the bank could only be liquidated when three (3) inflows amounting to N845 million came from the Bayelsa State Development Fund Account held by Intercontinental Bank, an account believed to be solely in control of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha.
B) TRIUMPH MERCHANT BANK made available the records of the originators of the transfer of GBP 894,990.00 to Austin & Jed on 3/7/03 to the investigating team to be oxydou Nig, Ltd of 86, Woji Road, GRA Phase II Port Harcourt. The Managing Director of the Company, one Lancaino Baruch, an Israeli, was arrested and brought to the Lagos office of the Commission on 5/8/05 where he volunteered statement summarized hereunder:
i) LANCAINO BARUCH stated that the transaction ordered by his company to Ram Ghaundi was for the purchase of property (compound of 3 houses) located at N.T.A Area, Port Harcourt at the cost of N360 million through a direct purchase from the owner Chief D S P Alamieyeseigha of part of the sales proceeds. Copies of Deed of Conveyance Lease in respect of the action were later produced by Documents such as Deed of Assignment showing, particular of Relation of the property and owner history could not be traced, he claimed all other documents are still in the possession of Chief D SP Alamieyeseigha since the purchase. All efforts made to get the detailed profile of ownership of the said property, copies of certificate of ownership, change of ownership effected on the property at the Port Harcourt Lands Registry proved abortive as the property was neither registered with the Lands Registry nor declared by the Governor with the Code of Conduct Bureau. Enquiries are being conducted on the Oxyduo’s statement of account held by Triumph Bank as well as the property the company claimed to have purchased directly from Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha which necessitated the transfer of £894,990.00 to Austin & Jed.
C) METROPOLITAN BANK: Records given by the Bank in respect of Rapid Trades Nig. Ltd reveals the owner as one Olufemi Fowora with business address at 154, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
i) Fowora, in his statement, averred that he was contacted by Ms Kudi Badmus of Bond Bank to purchase some pounds sterling for one of her customers. He then instructed Metropolitan Bank to effect the transfer of the GBP 100,000 to the account of Santolina Investment, the details of which were given to him by Ms Badmus. Fowora also introduced Bond Bank to buy the sum of GBP 70,000 from Tempera Ventures Ltd. Rapid Trades, according to Fowora, brokers iunds between parties from time to time. These two transactions form part of the seven other transfers sourced by Bond Bank in favour ofTemat Associates.
In the course of investigating the domiciliary account of Rapid Trades held by Bond Bank, the investigating team stumbled on a transfer made to Austin & Jed on 19/05/05 for GBP 300,000 made by Rapid Trades. On interrogation, Fowora stated that he sold forex to Bond Bank on the request of one Winifred Ehirele, a staff of the bank. When the staff was also interrogated, she explained that the transfer was made on the order of John Ayeni, a director in the bank.
D) GATEWAY BANK also responded in respect of a payment to Santolina Investment’s account of $249,963.25 on 18/10/04 indicating that the message in respect of the transfer does not conform with the Bank’s usual swift message and the remitter’s name given as “Lagos Nigeria’ does not exist. But the transfer responsibility still lies with the bank as they are clearly involved.
E) Individuals connected in one way or the other with the transfers to either Santolina Investment or the solicitors that acted on behalf of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha were also invited and they volunteered statements.
i) JOHN OLATUNDE AYENI: He is a lawyer and claimed to have worked with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice on legal matters. He also claimed to have acted as solicitor to Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar (A. A. Oil) in many transactions involving properties within and outside Nigeria. He states that the £170,000.00 cheque was the very first cheque Chief D. S. P Alamieyeseigha gave to him to forward to Nedd & Co. for furnishing of his (Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha) house but he (Ayeni) subsequently discovered that the money was used for the purchase of a property at 68-70 Regent’s Park, London. Ayeni further stated that the £132,500.00 he paid to Nedd &. Co. was also for the same property. The same was for the sums of £42,275.92 and £63,431.25 he also paid to Nedd & Co. on 22/3/02 and 12/7/02 respectively. He claimed to have made the transfers on behalf of his client, Alhaji Abubakar.
On the inflow into Santolina account from his HSBC account of $525,000.00 and £18,000.00, Ayeni added that sometime in 2003 while in London, the account of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha at HSBC was closed and Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha then gave him two drafts which he (Ayeni) paid into his
account. In 2004, when he reminded Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha that the money is still with him. Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha then directed him to pay it into Santolina Investment account. Ayeni claimed to have collected the drafts from a certain Patel Norendra of HSBC, London on behalf of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha. He refunded the money in US dollars as he had not enough in his sterling account at the time of the refund. Ayeni also stated that he currently manages three properties of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha located at Plot 26, Bashir Dalhatu Close, Ilkoyi, Lagos, 4A Ilu Avenue, Off Macpherson Street, Ikoyi, Lagos and No. 1 Community Road, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, while he prepared the documents for the purchase of two other properties located at Abuja and Port-Harcourt. The five properties located in Lagos, Abuja and PortHarcourt have been identified.
Ayeni disclosed further that ChiefD.S.P. Alamieyeseigha has also made a part payment of N1.5 billion for the purchase of Chelsea Hotels Abuja which was sold to him for N2 billion. The money was paid into his account in Bond Bank. In his response to the transfer of $300,000.00 to Austin & Jed through Rapid Trades, he explained that the money was for the purchase of a property on his behalf in London through his company Stephen and Bibs.
ii) ALHAJI ABUBAKAR ALIYU:
An oil and property Merchant with companies named as A. A. Oil and A Group Properties Ltd. also responded to a transfer made from his HSBC account to Nedd & Co., Solicitors, on 22/3/02 for the sum of £475,724.08. He states the he made the transfer on the instruction of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha. Aliyu said Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha asked him for the money but he did not know what Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha used the money for On the transfer of the sum of £420,000.00 which Aliyu made from his Midland Bank London account into Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha’s account at the same branch, Aliyu remarked that he made same on the request of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha and that he did not ask for repayment by Chief D. S- P. Alamieyeseigha since he is still doing business in Bayelsa State.
Aliyu’s Company, A Group Properties Ltd., is currently constructing the Bayelsa State Governor’s and Deputy Governor’s lodge and the external perimeter fence at the cost of N4.8 billion. The contract was awarded to the company in 2002.
Further inquiries were conducted with regards to the relationship between Chief D.S. P. Alamieyesigha and Aliyu which led to obtaining records previous investigation carried out in respect of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha by the Independent Corrupt and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), It is interesting to note that Alhaji Aliyu has a long standing business relationship with Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha’s administration in Bayelsa State. It was also discovered that his other companies namely: Tee Network Ventures Ltd, Lee Ventures Ltd and B-Union Investment Ltd were awarded contracts running into billions of naira by Bayelsa State government. The investigation also uncovered other companies namely:- Vinny Investments Ltd, Multi Web Nig. Ltd and Carlin International Ltd to be subsidiaries of either A. A. Oil Ltd. or A Group Properties Ltd., which also benefited from the contracts awarded by Bayelsa State Government.
One of the properties purchased by Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha, a flat at Jubilee Heights, London, was said to have been facilitated by a certain EBCO Associates, a UK registered company solely owned by one Ebitare Otrofanowei, a former Commissioner of Finance in Bayelsa State between 2001 and 2003 who is currently the Pensions Administrator of the State.
Money used to purchase mis property for Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha was sent direct to EBCO’s account held with the London Trust Bank Plc in London. The funds were later sent to a solicitor (Riseam Sharpies & Fok) to complete the purchase on 23/10/99. The same Ebitare who facilitated the purchase of the property also assisted Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha in the purchase of an offshore company called “Solomon & Peters Ltd” with which all the properties purchased by Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha in London were registered.
iii) EBITARE OTROFANOWEI:
On interrogation, stated that EBCO had instructions from Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha to handle the purchase of the flat for use by Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha’s children studying in the UK. Ebitare said EBCO had a written instruction that a friend of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha was to help him out for the purchase of the flat at 202, Jubilee Heights. This led to the transfer of $409,761.00 into EBCO’s account 13 by D.S.P Alamieyeseigha’s friend, a certain Bekinbo Soberekon on 30/9/99, and this same money was used for the purchase of the said property. EBCO secured many contracts from Bayelsa State Government which include the purchase of luxurious predator 56 Sun seeker executive boat which was bought sometimes in July 2002.
iv) SOBEREKON, a petroleum Management professiona1 and founder of a firm called Consort Engineering Nig. Ltd. also volunteered he repair and overhaul of two gas turbine units at the cost of two million five hundred and ninety three thousand, two hundred and fifty pounds sterling (£2,593,250.00). The gas turbines, according to Soberekon. were repaired by a certain Rolls Wood Group, Aberdeen, Scotland. Soberekon further stated that the EBCO Account particulars were given to him by Chief D S P Alamieyeseigha for the purpose of the transfer of $409,761.24 which was pan of the profit he made from gas turbine overhaul and the funds represent an appreciation of the contract awarded to his company. He confirmed transferring the sum as directed by Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha.
v) Investigation into allegations of self enrichment against ABEL EBIFEMOWEI, a civil servant and a cousin to Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha revealed that he has four personal (naira) accounts, two domiciliary accounts in pounds sterling and US Dollars and four other accounts belonging to his two companies Mowei Communications and Edubamo Ventures, all held by Guaranty Trust Bank. He also operates several other accounts in his names and names of hiscompanies held by Zenith and Standard Trust Banks All these accounts were opened between 2001 and 2004 with a turn over of -N-1.5 billion, GBP 173,310.66 and USD 1,041,597.60 respectively.
vi) Inquiries were also conducted on Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha’s Children’s accounts namely, Preye Joy Ereboh (Mrs), Enetonbrapa Alamieyesigha, Seleake Alamieyesigha (Miss) and Embeleakpo Alamieyesigha (Miss). All the children’s individual accounts were opened between 2002 and 2004 with a turn over of N703,961,220.87 from inception to date. Our enquiries also showed how the sum of N25 million from the Bay eisa Government House was disbursed into the respective children’s accounts at Guaranty Trust Bank, Yenagoa. The accounts of both Abel and the children had a common phenomenon of huge cash deposits. All efforts to reach them with a view to getting their response to these allegations proved abortive as the children were said to be outside the country.
vii) In the course of our investigation, some principal officers ofBayelsa State namely, the Commissioner of Finance, the Accountant General, the Sub- Treasurer and the Accountant of the Government House were arrested and interrogated in connection with some withdrawals of huge sums of money from the State Government accounts by certain individuals- It was however discovered that these individuals such as Olaitari Ikemike and Warikoru Tariye were approved signatories to the Government accounts and the huge withdrawals were approved payments for overhead to various ministries for the day to day running of the state. More documents in respect of the payments are still being awaited from them.
viii) INVOLVEMENT OF BAYELSA STATE GOVERN
MENT OFFICIALS
During the course of our investigations, it was revealed that some principal officers of Bayelsa State Government actively connived, conspired aid facilitated the siphoning of public fands by Chief D.S.P. Alamieseigha, the State Governor. TTiis was done by way of over inflating contracts, award of bogus contracts to non-existing companies and deliberate creation of legal loopholes to be exploited by contractors. The following officers are found to be involved.
a) Boyelayefa Debekeme: He is the Speaker of the State House of Assembly. He presides over the state parliament where they pass budgets inundated with fictitious and inflated contracts to non-existent companies. He initiated deceptive policies in the name of constituency projects aimed at conniving with Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha and his cohorts to siphon money running into billions of Naira meant for the well being of the one million, nine hundred and ninety eight thousand, three hundred and forty nine (1,998,349) people of Bayelsa State – See the website of the state for more information on its creation, population, etc.
b) Solomon Apreala: He is the Commissioner of Finance in the state. He approves payments of contracts to non-existing companies in the absence of the Governor. He is also involved in the siphoning of investment funds and buying properties, e.g. the purchase of Chelsea Hotels in Abuja.
c) Talford Ongolo: He is the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state. He owes the State the responsibility to prepare legal documents in respect of all contracts awarded in the state prior to their execution. However, contrary to his constitutional responsibilities, he connives with the Governor to award contracts to non-cxisting companies at the expense of the people of the state.
d) Stephen Enamamu: He is the Accountant General of the state. He has been on this position since 1997 and has perfected ways of conniving with the Governor and his cohorts in diverting the state’s resources for selfish ends.
e) Stephen Erebo: He is the majority leader of the State House of Assembly. He is married to Joy Preye, the first daughter of Margaret Alamieyeseigha, wife of the Governor. He assists the Speaker of the State House of Assembly in coordinating the House for easy passage of bills. He acted as a bridge between the Governor and the members of the House in planning the plundering of the state’s resources through legislative means.
F) PROPERTIES, COMPANIES AND BANK ACCOUNTS DECLARED BY CHIEF D. S. P. ALAMIEYESEIGHA
We examined the three Code of Conduct Assets Declaration Forms which were submitted by Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha to Code of Conduct Bureau.
i) He declared in 1999 that he has:
• Five buildings with a total value of N50 million.
• 25 plots with a total value of N2.5 million.
• He owns a company, Pesal Nigeria Ltd. with a capital of Nl 00,000.00.
• He has four vehicles he acquired between 1982 and 1998 with a total value of N10 million.
• He has an account with Diamond Bank Plc, Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, A/C No. 0136900013 with a balance of N5 million.
•Cash in hand was N100,000.00.
ii) In his Assets Declaration Form signed on 25th of April, 2003, he disclosed that he has:
•Six buildings acquired between 1985 and 2002 with a total value of N70 million and annual income of N3.5 million.
•He has 27 plots acquired between 1985 and 2001 with a total value of N5 million.
•Six vehicles acquired between 1982 and 2003 with a total value of N14.8 million.
•One boat acquired in 2002 with a value of N2.5 million.
iii) In his Assets Declaration Form signed on 2nd December 2003,
• Seven buildings acquired between 1985 and 2003 with a total value of N77 million and annual income of N4.5 million.
• Additional information on the buildings and plots revealed the following:
• 5, Khana Street, D/Line, P/H – Storey building,
• 5, Khana Street, D/Line, P/H – 3 Bedroom Bungalow,
• 4, Tombia Street, G.R.A., P/H – Detached Duplex,
• 2, Oniye, lyana Ipaja, Lagos – 5 bedroom bungalow,
• Amassoma – duplex/bungalow,
• Opolo, Yenagoa – Duplex
• 3, Williams Jumbo, P/H – Duplex
• lyana Ipaja, Lagos – 3 plots
• Isolo, Lagos – 1 plot
• NTARoad,P/H – 4 plots
• Yenagoa, Bayelsa – 17 plots
• Amassoma – 2 plots
G) PROPERTIES, COMPANIES AND BANK ACCOUNTS ACQUIRED BY CHIEF D. S. P. ALAMIEYESEIGHA AFTER ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE AS THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE
Inquiries so far carried out in Nigeria and abroad in respect of Chief D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha’s properties and bank accounts revealed the following:
i) That he holds a personal bank account with Barclays Bank Plc which was opened on 5 January 2004 and the balance stood at £203,753.34 as at 15th February 2005.
ii) He holds a personal bank account with HSBC, London, but the account was closed sometimes in March 2003 while all the money in the account was transferred to Santolina Investment Corporation’s account with National Westminster Bank, London.
iii) It was confirmed that he is the sole Director of Santolina Investment Corporation and sole signatory to the company’s account with National Westminster Bank with A/c No. 10182819 Sort Code 15-00-25 in London.
iv) He also holds personal account with Bond Bank in Lagos which was opened sometimes in January 2004 and the balance stood at N105-14.942.61 as at 16th September 2005 and another personal account in Oceanic Bank Plc, as follows:-
The Salo Trust in the names of Enitonbrapa Alamieyeseigha, Embelakpo Alamieyeseigha, Ebipadei Alamieyeseigha, Oyamuyefa Alamieyeseigha, Saleaka Alamieyeseigha and Margaret Alamieyeseigha.
v) He holds an account with Bank of America in the name of Peter Alamieyeseigha with account number 0054 8256 2491 which balance stood at $1, 600,000.00 as at August 2003.
vi) The sum of GBP 1350,000.00 being the annual premium for Insurance Policy No. 1E1/0405/0012/AR/HQ m respect of the Kolo Creek Power Station Yenagoa, has been traced in an account at Barclays Bank, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7NT, A/C No. 80041262, Sort Code 20-47-35, IBNrGB 87 BARC 2047 3580 0412 62 SWIFT BICGB22 held by a certain First Investment & Finance Corporation. The premium is for an All Risks Cover for the Gas Turbine for a period between 22/6/2005 and 21/6/2006.
H) PROPERTIES IN LONDON
It has been established that he is a Director of an offshore company named Solomon & Peters Ltd (two middle names) and there are four (4) London properties he bought and registered in the company’s name. These properties are:
•247, Water Gardens, London, W2 2DG, which is the registered
address of Solomon & Peters Ltd. This property was purchased
for £1.75 million on 20/8/2003
•14, Mapesbury Road, London, NW2 4JB. This property was
purchased for £1.4 million on 6/7/2001
• Flat 202, Jubilee Heights, Shoot uphill, London, NW2 3LJQ,
purchased for the sum of £241,000.00 on 28/10/99.
• 68-70, Regent’s Park Road, London, N3 which was purchased in
July 2002 for the sum of £3 million.
i) All the properties listed above have a combined value in excess of £S 381million
ii) At present, there is almost £1.9 million in a Royal Bank of Scotland account belonging to his company Santolina for which he had requested to be transferred to an account in Cyprus.
iii) Four transfers t
o the tune of Euro 2.36 million were made from Bayelsa State Ministry of Works Account held by Allstates Trust Bank to Germany through Commerz Bank, London at a time when Chief D. S. P. Alarm eyesigha was receiving treatment in a German hospital.
I) PROPERTIES IN SOUTH AFRICA
i) It has also been established that he owns a property at V & A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa worth over £1 millon.
ii) Royal Albatross Properties 67 is a company registered in September 2005 in Cape Town, South Africa. This company is also believed to be owned and controlled by Chief Alamieyeseigha.
J) PROPERTIES IN USA
i) 504, Pleasant Drive, King Farm Estate, Maryland USA,
ii) 15859, Aurora Crest Drive, Whither, California, USA, 906