The contract, it was learnt, was awarded by the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of the embattled Sambo Dasuki.
Mr. Robert, who is a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has, however, described his arrest as a witch-hunt, insisting that the contract was transparent. But EFCC have their facts.
The arrest of Mr Robert and Mr Atukpa was sequel to a list sent to the EFCC by a committee set up by the Federal Government to probe contracts awarded by the ONSA from 2011 to 2015, which indicted more than 300 companies and prominent citizens, including serving and retired military officers.
According to Punch, EFCC arrested Robert and Atukpa on March 23, on the allegation of diversion of $40m public funds through Oneplus Holdings, a sister company of Kakatar Construction and Engineering.
Oneplus Holdings is among the 300 firms under investigation by the Federal Government.
The spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, told Punch that the arrest was not a witch-hunt, but that the suspects received $40m from the ONSA for a dubious contract to supply “tactical equipment”.
Uwujaren said, “This is not a witch-hunt. He (Robert) is not Jonathan’s only cousin. The truth of the matter is that they are being held for a $40m contract he received from the ONSA. The mandate for the payment read, ‘Purchase of Tactical Equipment for Special Forces’.
“Two days after their arrest, they were offered bail. The condition was that the sureties must be on the level of civil service directors and a N250m bank guarantee. They must also have landed properties in Abuja and provide tax evidence of two years. But they could not meet up.
“So, the EFCC went to court for a remand order. They are being held pending the conclusion of investigation.”
Their lawyer, Gordy Uche (SAN), is crying foul, alleging that the Presidency is trying to get Jonathan.
No comments:
Post a Comment