Nigeria: EFCC - Babalakin Laundered Money for Ibori to Buy Airplane

By Tobi Soniyi and Dele Ogbodo, 23 November 2012

Abuja — Details of the 27-count charge filed at the Lagos High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday against Dr. Olawale Babalakin (SAN) emerged on Thursday.
This is just as the commission's Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, has blamed the paucity of funds for the EFCC's inability to secure convictions in high profile cases involving public officers found to have misappropriated the public funds.
Babalakin, who was charged alongside Alex Okoh, Stabilini Visioni Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited and Henix Nigeria Limited, was accused of corruptly conferring on the former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, the sum of N1.3 billion on account of contracts awarded by the state government to Stabilini Visioni Limited.
Babalakin was alleged to have transferred the money to Ibori through various third parties to an Erin Aviation Account in Mauritius for the purchase of a Challenger Jet Aircraft by Ibori.
He was also charged with transferring the sum of N145 million to Ibori on account of contracts awarded by Delta State Government to Stabilini using various people for the purchase of the jet.
Another N141 million was allegedly transferred by him to Ibori for the purchase of the jet.
The offences are contrary to section 98A(1)(a) of the Criminal Code Law CAP CI7 Laws of Lagos State, 2003.
EFCC also charged Babalakin with the retention of proceeds of a criminal conduct contrary to section 17(a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.
Under this head, he was accused of retaining the control of proceeds of financial crime in the sum of $500,000 on behalf of Ibori.
He was also accused of retaining $1 million on behalf of Ibori, which money he transferred to an Erin Aviation Account in Mauritius through Sopeetrol Oil and Gas Limited.
He allegedly retained another proceed of crimes involving the sum of $500,000 on behalf of Ibori, which he transferred to Erin Aviation in Mauritius through Casaka Nigeria Company Limited.
Other companies allegedly used to retain and transfer proceeds of crimes for Ibori by Babalakin are Geofluids Limited and Hyundai Heavy Industries (Nig) Co. Ltd.

President Yoweri Museveni has cautioned that electing leaders is not just fashionable and that the prevailing peace in the country is not something to joke around with, adding that by electing NRM, the people have given government power to repair and build the economy.
The President said that the process would have grown even much faster but for some people in parliament who delay programmes.
"The economy has expanded 13 times from 1986 to date. It would have grown much faster but I have a problem with people in parliament who delay programmes. Bujagali was delayed by almost 15 years. Now they are delaying Amuru sugar project.
When people were putting pressure on me to bring electricity, the problem was not wires but the supply was little in Jinja. Fortunately Bujagali is finished, the wires are here and there is enough electricity. Elect leaders who will support the NRM. When electing leaders, it is not just fashionable, in the bible it says what you sow is what you reap. If you sow confusion, you reap confusion," he said.
Museveni was addressing the National Resistance Movement (NRM) District Delegates' Conference at Chemwania Primary School in Kween District ahead of the forthcoming elections of the Kween District Chairperson due on 29th November.
Kween district LC V seat fell vacant on 31st August 2011, after the High Court in Kampala nullified the elections of Lawrence Mangusho Cherop as the district LC V chairman on the ground of lack of requisite academic qualifications and failure to comply with the electoral laws.
Museveni said the value of the national economy has expanded 13 times since 1986 and is currently at US$20 billion compared to US$3.7 billion in 1971 which later shrank to US$ 1.5 billion by 1986, an equivalent of 88%, adding that because of this, Sebei region alone now has 13 Government aided and 11 privately-run Secondary Schools, compared to only 3 secondary schools in 1986 while the number of primary school pupils has grown to 79,000 from 17,000 in 1986.
He revealed that the Government plans to have a technical institute in every district in the country.
He also said because of government constant efforts to improve service delivery, over 182 people who were in the habit of stealing government medical drugs were arrested and would face criminal charges in courts of law, adding that Government drugs are now branded and stamped in such a manner that they can no longer be stolen. He added that the biggest success the Government has registered in the health sector is the immunization programme with ten vaccines against deadly diseases now available.
He commended the people of Sebei Sub-Region for continuously supporting NRM and thanked them for making a good political investment. He called on them to vote for the NRM flag bearer, Mr. Kapchemeiko Paul Machinjach, during the up-coming elections for Kween LC5 Chairperson.
Regarding electricity, Museveni said the Government extended the power line to Kween district since there is sufficient electricity on the national grid. He added that electricity would be extended to the high altitude sports training centre and that a company has been contracted to build a dam on Suam and Sipi Rivers that would generate more electricity.
On eradication of poverty, the President emphasized the need to promote household income. He advised wananchi with an average of 4 acres of land, to allocate one to wheat production, another to Arabica coffee, the third one to Irish potatoes cultivation and the fourth to elephant grass growing for the benefit of rearing cattle.
Kween District NRM Chairman, Mr. Lawrence Mangusho, on behalf of the people of the area, congratulated President Museveni for his victory during the 2011 general elections. He observed that security in the area had improved since the launching of the new district. He saluted President Museveni and the NRM Government for the provision of electricity as well as the road construction equipment.

Zimbabwe: Muparutsa to Be Honoured

22 November 2012


Rooftop Promotions and Theatre in the Park are set to honour the late theatre guru, Walter Muparutsa who died in April this year after a long fight against non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. The ceremony is slated for November 27 at Theatre in the Park.
The Harare City Council Mayor, Muchadeyi Masunda will officiate at the ceremony which will be attended by Government officials, artists, members of the diplomatic corps and Muparutsa's family.
Daves Guzha, a long-time friend and colleague of the late Muparutsa, the brains behind the honour said:
"As a way of paying homage and immortalising our own excelling theatre artists, we have seen it fit, after extensive consultations, to create a Path of Fame with Walter's bust being the first to grace the surroundings"
Walter began his acting career way back in the late 1960s when he founded the Chiedza Drama Club in the then Harare (now Mbare) High Density suburb.
Around the same period, he also founded and chaired the Anglican Young Peoples' Association at St Michaels in Mbare, which staged religious plays. Walter adapted plays from Shona novels and wrote scripts, rehearsed, directed and toured plays around greater Harare.
Born on March 23 1941, Walter did his education at St. Augustine's Mission Penhalonga, Ranch House and Luveve Technical College.
From 1963 - 1973 he worked for the Rhodesia Literature Bureaus (Literature Bureau) where he rose from Editorial Officer to Head Editorial Officer (Shona Section). He was also responsible for conducting writers' workshops, seminars, reading and selecting publishable Shona & English manuscripts and writing book reviews in Shona and English. He was also a presenter for the radio educational programme

"Learning does not end/Kudzidza Hakuperi/ Ukufunda Akupheli". In 2008 he founded the Zimbabwe Theatre Association (ZiTA) and registered it with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe.

NIGERIA: TRIBAL CLASH KILLS SEVEN,14 HOUSES RASED IN NASARAWA

By Abel Abogonye, 22 Nov 2012

About seven persons were, yesterday, reportedly killed and 14 houses burnt in the Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State in renewed clashes between Koro and Eggon tribesmen.
Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Akeremale, confirmed the killing in Lafia, saying several houses were also destroyed by fire during the hostilities between the two tribes in Gwadanye area of Agyaragu. The constituency office of the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Elisha Agwadu, was among those razed.
Motorcycle trouble
Eyewitnesses said the fight started when an Eggon boy was arrested by a vigilante group for allegedly stealing a motorcycle.
Upon investigation it was discovered that other boys, who were Koro by tribe, were involved in the act but had escaped.
The Eggon boy was matched to the village chief's house in the company of a police officer. Other Eggon people insisted that the rest of the suspects involved in the crime be arrested since the victim claimed he knew their hideouts.
The demand for the people of Angwan Yakubu to fish out the alleged culprit resulted in a fracas that led to the death of the seven persons and the burning of more than 14 houses. The crisis escalated leading to the killing of innocent people in their farms.
'On top of the situation'
Meanwhile, Akeremale said security agencies were on top of the situation, adding that security personnel had been drafted to the troubled spot to ensure safety of lives and property.
At the time of this report, Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 4, Mr. Michael Zuokumor, was on a one-day familiarisation visit to Nasarawa State.
Incidentally, Zuokumor had earlier in his address pleaded with warring factions and ethnic groups in the state to sheathe their swords and live together in peace.
He said: "I am here to strengthen peace and to boost the morale of the police officers in the state, who are charged with the responsibility of maintaining peace and order peace."
Some of the casualties are currently receiving treatment at the specialist hospital in Lafia.

Beckham: LA Galaxy career ends Saturday

                                    
                  The England star says he is not retiring yet, to announce next move at Xmas

 David Beckham: LA Galaxy contract ends


Football star David Beckham has dismissed talk of retirement, even as the countdown begins for his last game for Los Angeles Galaxy team.
Beckham, with offers from Australia and China, said he has some “exciting options on the table” as he gets set to wrap up his six-year California adventure.
“People talk about my retirement but I still feel I have something left in the game to give,” Beckham said.
“I still feel I have one more challenge in me as a player. Even at 37 years old I feel I can still play at a high level. Where that will be I haven’t decided.”
The former England captain said he doesn’t know what his future plans are except that he hopes to go out with a bang when the Los Angeles Galaxy host Houston in the Major League Soccer Cup final early next month.
He said he won’t be playing in the MLS next season but his family enjoys living in southern California and they plan to remain in the area in at least a limited capacity.
“I haven’t decided where we might go next,” Beckham said. “We might stay here and we might spend more time in Europe. My playing career with the Galaxy ends next Saturday.
“I have some exciting options on the table. I don’t feel if I am ready to retire right now so that is not one of them.”
The veteran of three World Cups said he wants one last challenge before hanging up his football boots for good.
Beckham said he should be ready to make an annoucement about where his next stop will be around Christmas time in Europe.
“I have some exciting opportunities on the table but right now my focus is on the final and once that is out of the way we have a tour to do.
“And then it is Christmas which we always spend in London and I will be there and I will make my decision then.
“I haven’t made a decision (where he will play next). My decision will be made in December or in the next year.”
Beckham said he knew several weeks ago that he was going to play his last game with the Galaxy this year but wanted to wait for the right moment to announce it.
“I thought about announcing it then but it was not the right time because we were still in the playoffs,” he said.
“I have been thinking about it for a few months and came to my final decision a few weeks back. Now reaching MLS Cup final in our stadium in front of our own fans I thought it would be right time for me to announce it.”
Beckham has spent the past six seasons with the Galaxy, leading Los Angeles to an MLS Cup title last season when they defeated the Houston Dynamo 1-0.
Beckham and the Galaxy go for their second consecutive crown when they face the Dynamo in a repeat of last year’s final on December 1 at the Home Depot Center.
Beckham said he has reached all his goals as a player in North America but wants to try his hand at becoming an owner of a team. He says he has no interest in joining management.
“I signed a two-year extension last year with option for both parties,” he said. “I came to this decision because I felt I had achieved everything that I wanted to achieve with the Galaxy on the field and off the field.”