WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Justice Department said Thursday it had won legal
control of nearly a half-billion dollars worth of corrupt gains hidden in bank
accounts by former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha.
The department said a court
judgment on Wednesday gave it title to more than $480 million that Abacha, who
ruled Nigeria from 1993 to 1998, and associates had embezzled and placed in
accounts in Jersey, England, Ireland and France.
That took US authorities one
step closer to eventually repatriating the money, only a portion of the
billions allegedly stolen by Abacha, to Nigeria.
The US is still seeking control
over another four Abacha-tied investment portfolios in Britain containing $148
million.
Based on the court judgement,
the department will seek to have authorities in those four jurisdictions order
banks to transfer the money to it, on the basis that the corrupt funds were
originally moved through the US financial system.
“General Abacha and others systematically
embezzled billions of dollars in public funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria
on the false pretense that the funds were necessary for national security,” the justice department said.
“The conspirators withdrew the funds in
cash and then moved the money overseas through US financial institutions.”
An army general deeply involved
in Nigerian politics since the 1960s, Abacha ousted a transitional government
in 1993 and assumed the role of head of state until he suddenly died in June
1998.
Assistant Attorney General
Caldwell branded Abacha’s theft “brazen acts
of kleptocracy” aided by his son Mohammed and his former
associate and still-prominent politician Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
Justice Department spokesman
Peter Carr said it was not clear how long it would take to take possession of
the funds and give them back to Nigeria.
“Our goal is to repatriate the recouped
funds for the benefit of the Nigerian people,” he said.
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