Despite being prosecuted for money laundering to tune of 2.9bn, Fintiri embark on a wild goose chase to probe Bindow, Nyako
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State on Thursday responded to his Supreme Court victory, declaring that he would probe his predecessors and those who have administered the 21 local government areas.
“I am going to probe past administrations that wrecked the state, from the state down to local council level,” the governor told the crowd of supporters during a reception for him following his return from Abuja after the Wednesday Supreme Court judgement that upheld his election.
The governor, who was again approached by newsmen at Ribasu Square immediately after his speech at the podium, told the newsmen, “I thank almighty Allah for reaffirming our victory at the Supreme Court.
“I have just assured the people that no matter how big you are, if you have served the state yesterday and you have embezzled resources either at the state or local government level, I will soon start to recover the resources of this state embezzled by the last administrations.”
The Finder Newspaper report how the The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, June 30, 2016, arraigned Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and Mayim Construction and Properties Limited before Justice A.R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 5-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N2.9billion.
Fintiri, a former speaker, who also served briefly as the acting Governor of Adamawa State, allegedly laundered monies through his naira and dollar accounts domiciled at Ecobank Plc., and making a large cash payment for the purchase of a property at Plot Number 7, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.
Count 4 of the charge reads:
“That you, Ahmadu Umaru (Alias Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri) and Mayim Construction and Properties Limited on or about the 9th October 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did indirectly disguise the origin of the aggregate sum of N550,000,000 (Five Hundred and Fifty Million naira) through a term loan of twelve months purportedly granted to you by Ecobank Plc for the acquisition of a tea plantation farm from Nigeria Agricultural Bank in Taraba State which loan you repaid within three months as acting Governor of Adamawa State from sum which you know form part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: corruption and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(a) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.”
Upon the reading of the charges, the first defendant, Fintiri pleaded not guilty, while a plea of ‘not guilty’ was also entered for Mayim Construction and Properties Limited, pursuant to the provisions of Section 478 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
He was arraigned on June 30, 2016 alongside Mayim Construction and Properties Limited, for allegedly laundering monies to the tune of N2.9billion through his naira and dollar accounts domiciled at Ecobank Plc., as well as making a large cash payment for the purchase of a property at Plot Number 7, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja when he held sway as the acting governor of the State.
The offence is in contravention of Section 15(2)(a) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
Andrew, while being led in evidence by counsel to the EFCC, Larry P. Aso,
told the court that, when he was appointed Secretary to the State Government, he requested for briefing from various ministries and their responses showed that state funds running billions of naira were misappropriated.
He also explained how the defendant (Fintiri) during the press briefing as the acting Governor claimed to have received N21billon in the 86 days he spent in office.
The witness went further to explain how the defendant also claimed to have spent N2.8billion on projects, mainly in Malamre ward in Jimeta Local Government Area which was under attack by the insurgency at that time.
On the transaction of N475million, which was meant for the construction of Faculty of LAW at the Adamawa State University, the witness said that there was no construction adding that only the foundation was laid.