Nigeria’s ambassador to US at EFCC

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States (US) Prof. Ade Adefuye has appeared before Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigators over the sale of Nigeria’s mission houses in the US.

The diplomat visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday and yesterday when he appeared before the anti-graft investigators with documents relating to the sale of five houses belonging to the Nigerian Mission and the diversion of $1.35million allegedly paid as tax.

Nigerian US-based Attorney Emeka Ephraim Egwuonye has been in custody over the alleged fraudulent, bazaar-like sale of the houses.

It was learnt that from documents made available by Adefuye, the houses which were located in Maryland and Washington DC, were sold between 2005 and 2007.

It was also gathered that preliminary investigation has confirmed that the sale of the houses was “untidy and questionable.”

A source in the commission gave an insight into the brief by the Nigerian Embassy in the US.

The source said: “So far, it has been difficult to ascertain how much was the total sum realized from the sale and what was remitted to the Nigerian Embassy in the US or the Federal Government.

“And even what the suspect claimed he gave to the Embassy or the Federal Government was less tax of $1.350, 000.

“But the Embassy later found out that diplomatic missions do not pay tax. And when this fact was made available to the suspect, he said he would fight for the refund of the tax.

“When the suspect got the tax refund, he failed to remit it to the Embassy or the Federal Government. This is where the suspect’s problem lies.”

The source said Adefuye told the EFCC that he “inherited the case and reported it to the EFCC to avoid any legal web for the nation.”

The source added: “Adefuye has testified before the EFCC’s team and he has also made some useful documents available to us.

“He (Adefuye) gave in-depth details of how the business was transacted and the issues emanating from it.

“In order to enable us conclude investigations, we have secured a court order to extend the detention of the suspect by two weeks.

“With the Ambassador testifying, we hope to charge the suspect to court in the next one week or two.”

There were strong indications yesterday that the EFCC may invite a former Minister and some ex-Ambassadors to the United States over the issue.

“We have sufficient lead to invite this ex-Minister and the Ambassadors who knew about the transactions. We want them to explain the roles they played in it.

“It is a full-scale investigation that might provide further insight into what is going on in some of our Embassies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC Mr. Femi Babafemi said: “We are still investigating the suspect but we are having more petitions against him. We still have to investigate further before we take him to court.”

It was learnt that one of the petitions against the suspect came from Mrs Sola Adeeyo over alleged diversion of $94,000 kept in a “Client Trust Account” in Egwuonye’s chamber.

Adeeyo’s petition reads in part: “The detainee has represented me in the US, obtained money from my bank on my behalf as my Attorney, money which was expressly designated to be kept in an ‘Attorney Client Trust Account’ until such time I may be available to collect it but which Mr. Emeka Egwuonye has apparently misappropriated and has refused to release to me since 2007.

“In the year 2007, I assigned Egwuonye to represent me in a case in which my bank had erroneously released my funds to an impostor. The bank agreed to refund my money and I was not able to travel to the US at the time.

“I consented that the refund cheque could be released to Mr. Egwuonye Law Firm’s Client Trust Account. I deposed to an indemnity and a release at the US Embassy in Lagos on June 14, 2007 that my money could be released via cheque payable to “ECULAW Group Trust Account” for the benefit of Sola Adeeyo.

“Funds were indeed released subsequently but Mr. Emeka Egwuonye has refuses or unable to pay me my money in his care.

“Egwuonye is aware of the consequences of his malfeasance on his professional career and has continued to plead with me to give him time to pay.”