Ex-Mint boss detained ahead extradition to Uk

Ex-Mint boss detained ahead
extradition to UK
 
Former Nigerian Security Printing and Minting
Company (NSPMC) Managing Director Emmanuel
Ehidiamhen Okoyomon is to be extradited to Britain
for trial.
Attorney-General of the Federation Mohammed
Bello Adoke(SAN) has filed extradition papers in the
Court in Abuja as a precondition for Okoyomon’s
relocation.
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) source, who spoke in confidence, said:
“Okoyomon has been arrested and detained by the
anti-graft agency in preparation for his presentation
to the court for extradition.
Britain is seeking Okoyomon’s extradition over his
alleged role in the bribery allegation involving
officials of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the
Nigeria Security, Minting and Printing Company
(NSPM) and Securency International Pty of
Australia between 2006 and 2008.
“The AGF will argue the application for the
extradition in court and once it is endorsed by the
judge, we will extradite Okoyomon to the UK,” the
source said.
Okoyomon was the chief executive of the NSMPC
until November 2013 when he was suspended by
the Board of the CBN in the wake of the N1000
notes disappearance scandal.
According to some sources, the extradition was
approved by the Federal Government, following
substantial investigation into the scam by the EFCC
in collaboration with the Australian Federal Police
(AFP) and the British National Crime Agency (BNCA).
It was learnt that the outcome of the investigation
revealed a “kind of international network and the
diversion of the bribe sums into slush accounts in
the UK and Canada”.
Okoyomon has been under investigation since 2012,
following a request by the British National Crime
Agency.
“The request for extradition also followed the
discovery by the Australian authorities that some
CBN and Mint officials received bribes and kick
backs from Securency Pty Limited, a polymer
substrate producing company for the contract to
produce N20 polymer notes for the CBN between
2006 and 2008.
Another source gave some insight into the findings
of the EFCC and international agencies involved in
the probe.
The bribes were routed through offshore accounts
in the UK and other jurisdictions
The EFCC investigation uncovered a web of forgery,
identity fraud and money laundering running into
millions of naira.
The erstwhile Mint boss allegedly used the names
of his driver and clerk to open bank accounts in
which he diverted funds without their knowledge.
He allegedly forged a driver’s licence with the
photograph of his driver but bearing a different
name belonging to his official clerk to open the
account in which N368million proceeds of laundered
bribery funds were traced, with Okoyomon as the
sole beneficiary.
“Over N750million is alleged to have exchanged
hands between officials of the CBN, the NSPMC and
Securency International Pty of Australia (now
Innovia Security Pty Limited).
President Umaru Yar‘Adua launched the N5, N10
and N50 polymer notes  on September 30, 2009 at
the Presidential Villa.

Posted by: Maduka Tony

Source : thenationonlineng.net