American government returns $1 million stolen by late former Governor Alamieyeseigha
The United States of America (USA) has signed an agreement with the Nigerian government for the return of about $1 million stolen by late former Governor of Bayelsa State, Deprieye Alamieyeseigha, who served between 1999 and 2005
Penpushing reports that the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard at the signing of the agreement for the repatriation of funds seized from the deceased said it took her country 15 years to recover the stolen assets
The Ambassador said the funds would be deployed to funding healthcare services in Bayelsa State, adding that based on mutual cooperation, funds traced to Alamieyeseigha in the United Kingdom and the United States of America(USA) were also confiscated.
“As a result of today’s agreement, healthcare across Bayelsa will be improved through the rehabilitation, refurbishment and reequipping of healthcare centres as requested by the state”, the America Ambassador said
Penpushing further reports that Leonard recalled that the 15-year journey of recovering the stolen assets, disclosed that Alamieyeseigha’s official salary did not exceed the equivalent of about 81,000 dollars per year.
“However, during that time, he (Alamieyeseigha) accumulated millions of dollars’ worth of property due to corrupt acts such as abuse of office, money laundering and other violations of Nigerian and US laws’, she added.
Penpushing also reports that the ambassador citing the United Nations (UN) convention against corruption, restated the United States of America (USA) government’s commitment to tackling corrupt practices.
“Recovered proceeds will be transformed into assets that benefit the people harmed by underlying corrupt conduct, to improve the lives of average Nigerians, not a corrupt elite. US would continue “to deny safe havens to corrupt actors and the assets they have illicitly acquired”, she emphasised
Penpushing reports that, Nigeria’s Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary and Solicitor-General of the Federation, speaking earlier thanked the American government for returning looted funds to Nigeria.
“This asset return arose from the forfeiture and recovery of approximately $1 million USD linked to the corrupt practices of former Bayelsa State governor DSP Alamieyeseigha,.The forfeited assets totalling $954.807.40 were located in Maryland and Massachusetts’, he stated.
Penpushing further reports that the Attorney General of the Federation noted that following American government court order and negotiations between the two governments, President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the terms of an agreement that would lead to investing the repatriated funds in providing healthcare projects for the people of Bayelsa.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, of Balyesa State, Biriyai Dambo in his remarks at the ceremony held at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja promised to implement the terms of the agreement for the project.
Penpushing also reports that it is recalled that Alamieyeseigha was arrested in London in September 2005 over corruption allegations but managed to jump bail and returned to Nigeria, while he was removed from office by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in December 2005 to face trial.
The late former Governor was convicted on 26 July 2007 by the Federal High Court after he pleaded guilty to corruption charges and conceded to the forfeiture of assets confiscated from him, and was later pardoned by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
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