Alleged N450m Fraud: EFCC Presents More Evidence Against Belgore
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday, presented more evidence against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dele Belgore, in a N450 million money laundering charge filed against him in a Federal High Court in Lagos.
According to a statement by the spokesperson of the commission, Tony Orilade amd sighted by Premium Times, the anti-graft agency told Justice Rilwan Aikwa that Mr Belgore disbursed N126.5 million to some members of the Kwara Senatorial District in cash.
The EFCC also said the money was taken from the alleged N450 million allegedly paid out by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.
TheLagostimes gathered that Mr Belgore, a governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2011 Kwara State gubernatorial election is being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly benefiting N450 million from the sum of $115 million largesse Mrs Alison-Madueke, allegedly doled out to influence the outcome of the 2015 general elections.
He is facing charges alongside a former Minister of National Planning, Abubakar Sulaiman.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail.
According to the statement, at the start of yesterday’s hearing, the prosecution counsel, Mr Oyedepo, asked Mr Belgore if he recalled that he (Belgore) had stated, in his evidence, that he ‘saw’ the N450 million at the bank, signed the receipt and instructed the bank to safe-keep it for him.
In his response, Mr Belgore said: “Yes, I called a stakeholders’ meeting. It was at the meeting we discussed the disbursement of the money and agreed that each Senatorial district should nominate two people each, who would collect money for their district.”
Meanwhile, the judge has adjourned the case to June 17 for a continuation of the cross-examination.