Abuja — The Federal Government will charge more suspects to court in the Halliburton bribery scandal as soon as it gathers more evidence linking them to the sleaze, a top official of the Minister of Justice told This Day last night.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, had last week filed charges against 15 suspects at an Abuja high court in one of the most celebrated bribe-for-contract scandals in the world.
Halliburton officials have already been convicted in the United States over the affair, with the US government imposing fines of nearly $100 million on the culprits.
"Investigations have not been closed," the source said. "As soon as we unearth new evidence, more suspects will be charged, no matter how highly placed. We are very hopeful that during this trial, more revelations will come into the open to help the anti-graft agencies in their investigations. To say the probe is over is incorrect."
Among those already charged to court are former personal assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Adeyanju Bodunde, and a company linked to a former military head of state, Maizube Holdings Limited. Also charged are George Mark, Hans George Christ, Heinrich J. Stockhausen, Ibrahim Aliyu, AVM Abdullahi Dominic Bello and Mohammed Gidado Bakare.
Companies which are also facing trial are the biggest construction contractors in Nigeria, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, as well as Bilfinger Berger GMBH, Urban Shelter Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited, Sherwood Petroleum Limited, Tri-Star Investment Limited, and TSKJ Nigeria Limited, associated with Technip S.A., Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V., Kellogg Brown and Root Inc Japan Gasoline Corporation of Japan.
However, the government is being criticised for not netting any "big fish", but the source who spoke to THISDAY said such conclusions were "premature".
"The Attorney-General cannot charge anyone to court without evidence," he said, pointing out that the trial of a former governor was bungled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) because of poor prosecution and lack of evidence.
"If the AGF wants to play to the gallery, he would charge all sorts of persons to court and then the case would be thrown out for lack of merit or evidence. The steps taken so far are in line with the evidence at his disposal. This is to prove to Nigerians that the anti-graft war is not just about words. No amount of criticism or intimidation will stop the war. And nobody will be spared," the official said.
Last month, Adoke had, in an interview with This Day, said investigation into the Halliburton scam had been concluded and that he was going to address the media on the outcome of the investigation.
He had said then: "There is an interim report on the Halliburton scam. But again I was also told that there are various versions of that report. As a responsible Attorney General, it would be hasty on my part to begin to act on such reports dealing with a sensitive matter.
"I have not come to a conclusion on the matter. This is because the international aspect of the issue had not been concluded. At the end of the day, I don't want to charge wrong person to court. But in the next two weeks, investigation would have been concluded on the matter, and I will address the press on the step to be taken."
On Wednesday April 15, 2009, the Federal Government had constituted an investigating committee to investigate the bribery scandal.
When This Day called Adoke last night to ask him when he would make public the outcome of the investigation into the scam, he said he was in the United Kingdom and should be given up till Monday (today) to react. He refused to make further comments.
The investigation committee was headed by the former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, while a representative of the National Security Adviser also served as a member and secretary. Other members of the investigating team were chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri; Director General, National Intelligence Agency and the Director-General, State Security Services, Mr. Afaz Gadzama. On Tuesday, April 21, 2009 former AGF, Chief Michael Aondoakaa, inaugurated the committee and gave the panel eight weeks within which to submit its report. The eight weeks ran from the day of inauguration.
The terms of reference of the committee were: (a)To examine the circumstances surrounding the Halliburton Bribery Scandal in the Bonny Liquefied Natural Gas Project; (b) To liaise with appropriate agencies within and outside Nigeria to ensure disclosure of the names of Nigerians involved/implicated in the Halliburton Bribery scandal; (c) To establish the extent of involvement or culpability of any Nigerian in the bribery scandal and the sums of money allegedly paid out to any person in Nigeria by Halliburton as bribes in respect of the Bonny LNG Project, and (d) To liaise with the Swiss authorities with a view to tracing and recovering any sums stashed in Swiss authorities with a view to tracing and recovering any sums stashed in Swiss banks for the benefit of those involved in the Bonny Liquefied Natural Gas Project bribery scandal.
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The makeup of the investigation Committee of Halliburton Scandal is nothing but a hoax in the sense that the credibility of the members are more of corrupt ants on sugar.One,the former Inspector General Mike Okiro ran foul of using his postion as Inspector General of Police to borrow money from a Bank without collateral which he transfered into his son's name who in turn maintained a mansion with the account and this alleged borrowed money, is yet to be repaid to the Bank which was the reason why he resigned as IGP under late President Yarudua when the questions of this unpaid loan was made public.Secondly,for the former Attorney General Micheal Aondoakaa to Inaugurate this committee, although may be part of his constitutional duties as chief law enforcement should be viewed as a fellow so corrupt that the word "corruption " was written all over his body that he was banned from entering U.S.A.Mr. Michael Aovdoakaa was not only corrupt as A.G.F he used his power to try to re-write the constitution of this Country to suit his purpose mainly when the late President Yarudua was hospitalised oversea and refused to hand over power to his V.P of which Aondoakaa on his attempt to keep himself in office abandoned the letters of the constitution in order to keep his dying boos in office and himself.Having identified these few credility flaws among some of these Investigation committee members,Nigerians all over the World should raise their voices against the outcome of this probe and call on the current Attorney General Mohammed Bello Adoke to please give this Country fresh and untinted Investigation on the Halliburton saga.Justice is sweet while injustice is bitter.Mr. Attorney General,Nigerians are only asking you to re-evaluate the current surposed outcome investigations not based on emotions or politics but on real evidence and letters of the law and fairness.
Nigerians (not the nigerian gov.) should appeal to the US to make Halliburton publish the names of the people and companies they bribed because the justice dept in nigeria is and will do everything possible to cover the case up or at bestwill just conduct a partial investigation. I will not be surprised if the so called investigators have already in turn been bribed by the investigated. Nigeria, yours is a sad story!
"Nigerians .. should appeal to the US to make Halliburton publish the names .."
"appeal"? No. That is NOT how to get it done.
Take a leaf from how the USA dealt with the Swiss banks which initially refused to reveal the names of secretive Americans who kept deposits in its secret accounts.
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/swiss-bank-open-files-us-authorities
In the world of imperial plunderers, leverage and credible threats work - not "appeals" to good behaviour. Nigeria supplies more that 15% of the imported crude oil the USA needs to fuel its economy. That is power for Nigeria - and real leverage it can use to get compliance and results. [Of course, to exercise this leverage, Obadluck would have to muster great courage to confront his puppet masters - in the presence of the marauding killers of AFRICOM.]
Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Mr.Mohammed Bello Adoke,inspite of the fact that the Investigation Committee members of the Halliburton scandal is made up of corrupt government officials of the past and present Administrations,the Nigerian People are pleading with you to make public the names of these individuals involved.However,some powerful and well politically connected Nigerians in U.S.A may use the FOIA to obtain the names.The of the Attorney General hopefully will make the names public for the sake of justice and due process of the law.
The first good news about Halliburton bribery is that one of the biggest conduits in corruption circles, and an international business organization, JULIUS BERGER is at last mentioned as a participant in a lootocratic society of our NIGERIA. If found guility, the company's operational licence should be withdrawn and very heavy fines imposed on it as well as impounding all its property in the countey. It has been responsible for the poverty-breeding and corruption-fed mansions constructed for many former Nigerian head of states, particularly the military ones. One way of starting to effectively deal with corruptions, particularly the bigtime ones is to climp down on the organizations that are serving as conduits for getting looted money across the Nigerian borders. Secondly the integrity of the committee chairman, set up to investigate the case, I agree with other commentator above, does not merit being a witness not to talk about a committee member or chairman. Okilo needs to take the lugs from his eyes first before pointing to others. I wonder why he has not been arreigned when Nigerian Cental Bank is putting the Exectives of the banks behind the bars. Dangoke and othera were harrased for not paying the money borrowed from the bank. Why is Okilo's case different? The attorney general is therefore fortright to be careeful that correct individuals are prosecuted. Okilio report has been badly smeared by his own reputations. Mr attorney general, please find the appropriate laws of Nigeria in concert with CBN and bring Okilo to book.
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