Dudafa Accuses EFCC Of Torturing Him To Implicate Jonathan
A former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Gooluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Dr. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa yesterday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tortured him in order to get him to implicate the former president.
The former presidential aide made the allegation while testifying in a trial within trial being conducted by the court after he claimed that a statements he made to the EFCC were not voluntary.
The EFCC had arraigned Dudafa and one Iwejuo Joseph Nna (alias Taiwo A. Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah) before Justice Mohammed Idris on a 23-count charge of conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds.
They were accused of conspiring to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to over N1.6 billion on June 11, 2013.
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They, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, Dudafa told the court that he developed a spinal cord ailment while in EFCC detention, adding that he was denied adequate medical treatment.
He also claimed that all the statements he wrote were dictated to him, and that he was induced to sign in exchange for his freedom.
The defendant further testified that he was arrested last April 17 on a Sunday and kept in detention till Monday evening without anybody explaining why he
was arrested.
The former presidential aide said he was kept in detention until April 27 before he was taken to EFCC’s office on Awolowo Road for interrogation, where he made four statements, including an asset declaration form which he described as a “sham.”
Dudafa said he was denied access to his mobile phone from April 27, and his family was stopped from bringing food to him.
The judge had adjourned the case till today (Tuesday) for the continuation of his testimony.
In the charge sheet signed by Rotimi Oyedepo, the EFCC alleged that Dudafa, and Joseph Nna, who also claimed to be Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah, had between June 11, 2013, and June 2015, used different companies to fraudulently steal the sum.
Some of the companies allegedly used in committing the alleged offences includes;Seagate Property Development & Investment Limited, Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited; Iwejuo Joseph Nna and Pluto LUTO Property and Investment Company Limited; Iwejuo Joseph Nna and Rotate Interlink Services Limited.
Others include; Ibejige Services Limited; DE Jakes Fast Food & Restaurant Nigeria Limited; and Ebiwise Resources.
Count one of the charge read in parts; “that you,Warpamo Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, and Iwejuo Joseph Nna (a.k.a. Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah), on or about the 11th day of June, 2013 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Concealing the proceeds of crime in the sum of N 1, 667,162,800.00 (One Billion, Six Hundred and Sixty Seven Million, One Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 17(a) of the same Act.”
And count 23 reads; “That you, Warpamo Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, on April 27, 2016 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court failed to furnish any information in relation to your interest in Ibijige Services Limited as required in page 12 of the Declaration of Assets Form and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 27 (3) (c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.”
Tbe alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 17(a), 18(c), and 27 (3) (c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.
