South African authorities have confiscated
yet another US$5.7 million arms money
from Nigeria, nearly three weeks after
seizing $9.3 million in cash transported
by two Nigerians and an Israeli for arms
purchase, South Africa-based City Express
reported Monday.
As with the first deal, South Africa’s Asset
Forfeiture Unit of the National
Prosecuting Authority seized the $5.7
million (about N952 million) for allegedly
being the proceeds of illegal transactions,
the paper said.
The news came more than two weeks
after two Nigerians and an Israeli national
were arrested in South Africa after they
attempted to smuggle US$9.3 million
apparently meant for buying arms for the
Nigerian intelligence service.
The men landed at Lanseria International
Airport, Johannesburg, on September 5 in
a private jet from Abuja with the money
stashed in three suitcases.
At the time, the South Africa Revenue
Service, SARS, said customs officers
became suspicious when the passengers’
luggage were unloaded and put through
the scanners.
The National Prosecuting Authority, NPA,
in South Africa said there was an invoice
for helicopters and armaments intended
to be used in Nigeria.
Two black plastic suitcases, filled with 90
blocks each containing US$100,000 in
notes, with combination locks, were
seized, as well as two pieces of hand
luggage also containing US currency,
according to City Press.
The Israeli national, Eyal Mesika, had the
combination to open the locks.
Under South African laws, a person
entering or leaving the country is
expected to carry cash not exceeding US
$2,300, or the equivalent in foreign
currency notes.
The news of the first transaction sparked
anger in Nigeria after it emerged the
private jet involved belonged to the head
of the Christian Association of Nigeria,
CAN, Ayo Ortisejafor.
Mr. Oritsejafor, a close ally of President
Goodluck Jonathan, said the plane had
been leased to a third party and he could
not be blamed for its schedules.
The Nigerian government later admitted it
was behind the arms deal, claiming it
acted out of desperation for arms to
defeat extremist sect, Boko Haram.
An investigation planned by the Senate
into the transaction has yet to begin while
the House of Representatives threw out a
motion seeking a probe.
The South African newspaper, City Press,
said documents in its possession show
that the first consignment was personally
signed off by the National Security
Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who issued the
end-user certificate for the transaction.
An entire “shopping list” was supplied
with the certificate, which included
everything from helicopters to unmanned
aircraft, rockets and ammunition, it said.
The latest transaction, according to the
paper, was between Cerberus Risk
Solutions, an arms broker in Cape Town,
and Societe D’Equipments Internationaux,
said to be a Nigerian company based in
Abuja.
The paper said the deal fell apart after
Cerberus which had earlier received from
Nigeria R60 million (N1.02 billion) in its
account at Standard Bank, tried to repay
the money as it it could not resolve its
registration formalities with the South
African authorities.
“Cerberus was previously registered as a
broker with the National Conventional
Arms Control Committee (NCACC), but the
registration expired in May this year,”
City Press said.
“The marketing and contracting permits
also expired at the same time. The
company has since applied for re-
registration, but the application lay in the
NCACC’s mailbox for more than two
months.
“Sources told Rapport that Cerberus
apparently tried to pay the money back to
the Nigerian company, after which the
bank became suspicious,” the paper
reported.
The paper added that while the NPA’s
Asset Forfeiture Unit subsequently
obtained a court order in the South
Gauteng High Court to seize the money,
the NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube, said
there were no indications the two
transactions were related.
“However, both are now the subject of a
criminal investigation and all possible
information and connections are being
investigated,” Mr. Mncube was quoted as
saying.
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