BEVERLY HILLS, February 05, (THEWILL) –
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed charges against Stallion Motors Limited and its Managing Director, Hapreet Singh, for allegedly offering a gratification of N1.275 billion to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 elections.
It was alleged that a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and ex-Minister of Finance, Mr. Bashir Yuguda collected the money for the party.
The two suspects will face a four-count charge bordering on alleged bribery and gratification as the bribe cash is suspected to be “assistance” to the PDP for the 2015 general election and routed through a Bureau De Change, Jabbama Ada Global Ventures Limited whose owner, Salisu Garus, admitted on oath that he received the cash on behalf of Yuguda and handed over the dollar equivalent of the cash to the ex-Minister’s son, Safinu.
The EFCC also suspected that the payment was an inducement to facilitate payment by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) for a contract for the supply of some 700 trucks and 50 buses but the PDP, in a letter to EFCC, has denied receiving such a gratification from Stallion Motors.
“We have filed charges against Stallion and its MDHapreet Singh in the High Court of Federal Capital Territory,” The Nation reports quoting a top source.
“Stallion between December 2014 and February 2015 paid the sum of N1.275billion to Dasuki ostensibly to assist in the 2015 general election campaign of the People’s Democratic Party.
“The MD of Stallion(Singh) allegedly claimed that the PDP, through Yuguda and Dasuki, demanded for donation to assist the party prosecute its campaign in the 2015 general election.
“The fund was paid to Jabbama Ada Global Ventures Limited, a Bureau de Change (BDC). SalisuGarus, who is the owner of the BDC, claimed he received the funds on behalf of Bashir Yuguda, a former Minister of State for Finance, at whose instruction the money was changed into dollars and handed over to his son, Safinu Bashir Yuguda.
“When the former minister was invited for questioning, he admitted receiving the money from his son but, added that he “handed the entire sum to Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).”
The former NSA, the source disclosed, however, claimed that a former Minister directed him to contact the owners of Stallion Motors because they had promised to make contributions to the election campaign of the PDP.
“Detectives suspected that the bribe was allegedly paid by the auto marketing firm to induce payment of a contract by the Office of National Security Adviser under Mr. Sambo Dasuki for the supply of 700 Stallion carrier trucks and 50 buses.
“This suspicion was more or less confirmed as the PDP, in a January 26, 2018 letter to the EFCC and signed by Prince Tunji Adeyemo, its Acting National Director of Finance, denied having any relationship with Stallion Nigeria Limited.
“The party had at no time requested and or solicited for any fund as donation towards the 2014/2015 general electioneering campaign or for any other purpose whatsoever from Stallion Nigeria Limited,”Adeyemo was quoted as saying.
