By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko was on Wednesday told how an alleged drug trafficker Steve Adigwe a.k.a Isioma Obodo, received huge sums of money from an illicit trade, laundered same and attempted to disguise the origin of the said money running into over N400millions.
The defendant, steve Adigwe a.K.a Isioma Obodo is being prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), for alleged illegal importation of 75.75 kilogrammes of Cannabis Indica concealed in two vehicles, a Lincoln Navigator and a Toyota Yaris both concealed in a 40ft container number MSCUS33668-0.
At the resumed trial of the defendant on Wednesday, a prosecution witness from the NDLEA, Dr Uduo Thomas Achu, while being led in evidence by the prosecutor, Mr O . Iwuchukwu, told the court how the defendant made an additional statement on May 24, 2023 to the extent that he is a spare part seller at Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
Achu said that based on the information given by the defendant, he went to the port to investigate the claim and was informed that the only business done at Tincan Island Port is importation and exportation of goods and that with the different security agencies there is no way an individual can carry out the business of buying and selling there.
In his evidence, the witness added that on the bases of the information gotten from Tincan Island, he decided to look at the defendant’s statement of accounts in order to have the idea of the type of business he is doing.
Achu said in analysing the defendant’s four statement of accounts in Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTbank and Fidelity Bank, he discovered a pattern of lodgement and transactions that is consistent with money laundering.
” I find out that the lodgement has no legitimate origin” the witness said.
The witness added that between August 4, 2021 and December 14, 2022, the defendant received and retained a gross total sum of one hundred and forty three million naira (N143,000,000) from one Emmanuel Chika’s Guaranty Trust Bank Account No 0129693089 into his Guaranty Trust Bank Account No. 0137030218 in several transactions.
Achu further stated that in the course of his investigation, he discovered that Steve Adigwe between September 2, 2021 and December 15, 2022, transferred a gross total of about N137,530,000 from his Guaranty Trust Bank Account No. 0137030218 into his ISINOBONG NIG. LTD. Stanbic Bank Corporate Account No. 0039258905 with several transactions, with the aim of concealing or disguising the origin of the funds.
According to the witness, his investigation revealed that the defendant accounts are linked to companies without verifiable address . “They transact businesses, received funds without invoices or receipts or known suppliers.”
” I also conducted what is called Transaction Tracing on the accounts and discovered that payments were made for drug purchase into Isinobong Nigeria Limited account. The analysis of his phone shows that they were negotiating for price and payments were made, the receipt of the payment was screen shut , I traced the transaction and discovered it was in Calabar, but we couldn’t get the intended target as he was not in the address. ”
Achu added that the frequency of transfers from the defendant’s accounts raises question as to the purpose of the transfer.
Based on the witness evidence before the court, the prosecutor, O. Iwuchukwu tendered the statement of accounts of the four banks the witness said he analyzed as well as the additional statement made by the witness.
The four statement of accounts tendered and admitted in evidence by the court are that of Zenith Bank, GTbank, Access Bank and Fidelity Bank and they were all admitted in evidence.
Following the conclusion of the evidence of the prosecution witness, counsel for the defendant Chief Benson Ndakara asked for an adjournment for the purpose of cross examining the witness.
Consequently, Justice Aluko adjourned further trial of the matter till 10th and 11th of June, 2024.
The 10 counts charge for which the defendant is standing trial are:
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.k.a ISIOMA OBOBO, Male, Adult, MADUEKE CHUKWUMA (at large), Male, Adult and CHIKA EMMANUEL OBODO (at large), Male, Adult on or about the 30th day of January, 2023 at Tincan Island Port, Lagos within the Jurisdiction of the Honourable court, without lawful authority imported 75.75 Kilogrames of Cannabis Indica found in two vehicles, one Lincoin Navigator and one Toyota Yaris, both concealed in a 40ft container number MSCUS33668-0 with two other vehicles and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 11(a) of the National Orug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004.
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a ISIOMA OBOBO, Male, Adult, on or about the 30” day of January,2023 at Tincan Island Port, Lagos within the Jurisdiction of the Honourable court without lawful authority conspired with MADUEKE CHUKWUMA, SUNDAY RICHARD AGBAIJE, EZEKIEL JOHN OKWUBUNO, CHIKA EMMANUEL OBODO and OBARO EHIS (all at large) to import 75.75 Kilogrammes of Cannabis Indica, concealed in a 40ft container number MSCUS33668-0 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN} 2004.
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a ISIOMA OB0BO, Male, Adult, on the 31st day of December, 2022 and the 16th day of February, 2023 knowingly failed to make disclosure of your assets, which include the number of bank accounts, money in banks, companies owned and liabilities, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 35(3) of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LEN) 2004.
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a ISIOMA 0B0B0, Male, Adult, between 4th August 2021 to 14th December, 2022 In Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowing that It was a proceed of illicit drugs received and retained a gross total of about one hundred and forty three million naira (N143,000,000) from Emmanuel Chika’s Guaranty Trust Bank Account No 0129693089 into your Guaranty Trust Bank Account No. 0137030218 in several transactions, with the aim of concealing or disguising the origin of the funds and thereby committed an offence under Section 18(2) (a) and (d) but punishable under Section 18({3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a ISIOMA OBOBO, Male, Adult, between 2 September, 2021 and 15” December, 2022, in Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowing that was a proceed of illicit drug transferred a gross total of about One hundred and thirty seven mullion, five hundred and thirty thousand naira (N137,530,000) from your Guaranty Trust Bank Account No. 0137030218 into your ISINOBONG NIG. LTD. Stanbic Bank Corporate Account No. 0039258905 with several transactions, with the aim of concealing or disguising the origin of the funds, and thereby committed an offence under Section 18(2a)and{d) but punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a ISIOMA OBOBO, Male, Adult, in Lagos State, gathin the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowing that it was a proceed of illicit t drugs received and retained a total sum of about one hundred and fifty seven million, four hundred and twenty nine thousand naira (157,429,000) being a sum total of outflow and inflow transactions done by you from CHUZZY CED NIG. LTD. (your company account) Fidelity Bank Account No 5600407098 into your Guaranty Trust Bank Account No. 0137030218 through several transactions between 30” August, 2020 to 17th August, 2022 and 1st September, 2020 to 1st August, 2022, respectively with the aim of concealing oF disguising the origin of the funds and thereby committed an offence under Section 18(2)(a) and (b) but punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a 08080 ISIOMA, Male, Adult, between 31st August 2020 to 29th October 2021 transferred the sum of about Fifty-eight million, four hundred & sixty thousand, two hundred & five Naira, (N58,460,205) from your GTB Account No. 0137030218 to Chuzzy Cedrick Limited. Access bank account No. 003021113 being your company account in Nineteen transactions being the proceed of illicit drugs with the aim of concealing of disguising the origin of the funds and thereby committed an offence under Section 18(3) and (d) but punishable under Section 18(2) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a OBOBO ISIOMA, Male, Adult, between 5th September 2020 to 29” November 2021 transferred the sum of Fifty-four million, four hundred thousand Naira (N54,400,000) from Chuzzy Cedrick Limited. Access bank account No. 003021113 being his company account into his GTB account No. 0137030218 in Eighteen transactions being the proceeds of illicit drugs with the aim of concealing or disguising the origin of the funds and thereby committed an offence under Section 18 (2) (a) and (b) but punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and prohibition) Act 2022,
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a OBOBO ISIOMA, Male, Adult, on the 17th of October 2022 received the sum of N550,000 00 into Isinobong Stanbic IBTC Bank Account Number 0039258905 being your company account, from Femayo Global Concept Nigeria Ltd. Unity Bank Account Number 0002757764 being the payment for the sale of an illicit drugs with the awn of concealing or disguising the origin of the funds and thereby committed an offence under Section 18 2(a) and (b) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
“That you STEVE ADIGWE a.K.a OBOBO ISIOMA, Male, Adult between the 22nd of May and 6th of June 2022 received the payment of the sums of N1,000,000.00, N500, 000.00, N900,000.00, N1,500,000.00 through several transactions respectively to Isinobong Stanbic IBTC Bank Account Number 0039258905 being your company account, from Keks Global investment Nigeria Limited Zenith Bank Account Number 1017822528 being the payment for the sales of an illicit drugs, with the aim of concealing or disguising the origin of the funds and thereby committed an offence under section 18(2)(a) and (d), but punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Launder (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
