Thursday, 13 January 2011

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/16081-money-laundering-us-moves-to-prosecute-atiku

The government of United States of America has kickstarted moves aimed at prosecuting Nigeria’s former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for his roles in the alleged laundering of over $40 million to the country through Jennifer Atiku Abubakar, his fourth wife, between 2000 and 2008.

A document obtained by the Nigerian Tribune and which was endorsed by a member of the US House of Representatives, Honourable John Conyers Jr. had confirmed that the US Attorney-General had been empowered to look into the Abubakar case.

A letter from Conyers dated January 7, 2011 and addressed to Honourable Eric H. Holder, the US Attorney General said that the US would not be taken seriously in the fight against financial crimes if it cannot deal with such crimes when they happen in its shores.

The letter read: “I am writing to refer information to you by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) relating to suspected money laundering by Politically Exposed Persons. Its bipartisan staff report titled “Keeping Foreign Corruption out of the United States: Four Case Histories,” the Subcommittee details four serious matters involving [potential crimes, including one involving US citizen Jennifer Douglas, wife of Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president and current Presidential candidate in Nigeria.

“I realise these matters raise serious questions and involve matters of foreign relations as well as more conventional law enforcement considerations. At the same time, there is a risk that our ability to promote rule of law abroad may be compromised if we cannot remedy alleged violations of our anti-corruption laws by powerful foreigners.

“An electronic copy of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee’s bipartisan staff report accompanies the email transmission of this letter. The report is also available at the Subcommittee’s website.”

In his reaction, head of media, Atiku Campaign Organisation, Garba Shehu, dismissed the allegation with a waive of the hand, saying there was nothing to it.

According to him, “This is a recycled story. They said it two years ago, and they are going round with it again. But I can assure you all these are mere figments of the imagination of their fabricators. Nothing of such happened. It is just a smear campaign, there is nothing to the allegation.”