AFRICA’S MOST WANTED

Posted on 25. May, 2009 by The Muse in The Muse

Dear Reader,

Over the last couple of weeks, the expenditures of MPs in the British House of Parliament have been put in the public domain by The Telegraph and the excesses of MPs have been greeted with public outcry which has led to refunds and resignations. As an onlooker watching this all play out, I was reminded of the fact that greed and corruption are a part of human nature and that even the most advanced and civilised governments have to battle this evil. But what really caught my attention - apart from the extensive media coverage - is the fact that though it hurts to say, the total amount involved in the case of the MPs in Britain is loose change to many a corrupt government officials in Nigeria.

Only last month, £198, 000 (£150, 000 had previously been returned personally by the Lord Major) of stolen assets was returned to Nigeria in a case that has been on-going since 2006. It was laundered by a Joyce Oyebanjo (on behalf of a former Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye who is wanted in the UK) who was convicted by the Southwark Crown Court, UK.

At her trial, Oyebanjo was found to have benefited from receiving £1,467,135.97 from Dariye, who transferred funds to her Nat West & Barclays bank accounts. £1.28 million have been returned to Nigeria since 2006 (http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=142083). You probably did not see this in any of the news headlines and even more probable the returned funds are just as likely to grow wings on receipt. This only highlights the rot called corruption that has become a recurring characteristic of government in many African countries.

In a groundbreaking case which is ongoing in France, the French magistrate is investigating three African heads of state (Presidents Omar Bongo Ondimba of Gabon, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo and Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea) accused of plundering state coffers to go on lavish shopping sprees in Paris and the French Riviera. The three former French colonies are also big oil-exporters and have some of the longest sitting governments in Africa.

This is the first time sitting presidents have been investigated for suspected embezzlement. The leaders stand accused of embezzlement, misuse of public funds and money-laundering in relation to “the acquisition of very substantial property and assets in France,” said Sherpa member William Bourdon, a lawyer.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will attempt to bring to the forefront the extreme cases of embezzlement perpetrated by African leader across Africa in as much detail as possible. Due to the lack of transparency and accountability, this will be a tedious endeavour but I look forward to revealing my finding in a series which I have tagged “AFRICA’S MOST WANTED”.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!!!

The Muse