I am not aware of any correspondence between former President Bush and Obasanjo

A forensic investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Chidi Chukwuka Thursday told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos he was unaware of any correspondence between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-American President, George Bush, over a $1.7m Potomac house linked to former Governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu.

Chukwuka, who said this during cross-examination maintained that he was also not aware of any correspondence between Obasanjo and then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair.”

Chukwuka also maintained that he was not aware of “family house” in Boston, Massachusetts, bought as far back as 1997, linked to Kalu.

“We are aware that the first defendant, by Nigerian standard, it is possible he has a house in the US but the house in the US was not subject to investigation; so, we did not pay attention to that,” he added

“Did you find out that the area where that family house was located had a racial issue on account of which he put it up for sale?” the lawyer asked the investigator.

“It was not part of our investigation,” Chukwuka said.

Kalu’s counsel, however, told the EFCC investigator that the Potomac property was bought from the sale Boston house for $3.8m in 2003.

“We found an account where $1.7m was drawn and paid from a Nigerian bank,” the investigator said.

“Did you uncover an account from Nigeria or any part of Africa where $1.7m was drawn to pay for the property?” Kalu asked.

“It may interest you that the suspect was investigated that time and he had foreign accounts and funds were moved from Nigeria into those foreign accounts,” the investigator said.

“Specifically, that fund was from Chase Manhattan Bank, now JPMorgan; that was where the house was paid for,”Kalu’s counsel said.

The witness, however, said he was not aware that the ex-Governor is a “legal permanent resident” in the US who holds a green card.
The witness said he was aware that Kalu filled and submitted assets declaration forms in 1999 and 2003.

“Did the asset declaration forms of 1999 and 2003 show the first defendant to be a pauper, a person who has no means or worthless?” Kalu asked the investigator.

“I may not be able to express an opinion on that,” the investigator replied.

Chukwuka confirmed that the petition leading to Kalu’s trial was authored by Abia Leaders Forum, raising allegations of money laundering and stealing against Kalu, who was still in office as Abia State Governor.

The investigator confirmed that the petition was signed by Senator Enyinne Abaribe, who was impeached as Abia State Deputy Governor by the House of Assembly.

“You must be aware that the process of impeachment led to bad blood between the signatory and the first defendant,” Kalu said.

“We were not aware he was impeached; so, we didn’t take that into consideration. We looked at the issues before us and we followed it professionally,” the investigator said.

“I suggest to you that that bad blood led to Exhibit G (the petition),” the SAN said.

“My Lord, like I said earlier, in our practice at the EFCC, we look at issues in a petition without emotions or personal feelings towards persons that are involved,” Chukwuka responded.

“As an investigator, experience has shown that the best result you can get is from the enemy,” Chukwuka said while responding to Kalu’s counsel on whether Abaribe signed the petition because of the bad blood between both parties.

Justice Mohammed Idris thereafter adjourned the matter till Friday for the continuation of cross-examination.

Nigerian Tribune recalls that the EFCC had, on October 31, 2016, slammed a 34-count bordering on N3.2bn fraud on Kalu and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo.

EFCC accused Kalu if using his company, Slok Nigeria Limited to retain several sums of money in his account, illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.