Man accused of laundering money for Alison -Madueke works for Buhari’s government

One of those accused of helping former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke to launder money is reportedly working for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari

Stanley Lawson, former group executive director at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and close ally of ex-petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, is actually working for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Lawson is accused of laundering billions of money for Alison-Madueke in the alleged mismanagement of $118 million, but a report by Premium Times quotes a controversial report from the Department of State Services to the Senate in 2016 as saying the accused was working for the interest of the current government.

The report said an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) showed that Lawson was working for the Buhari government.

The report signed by Folashade Bello on behalf of the director-general of the SSS, Lawal Daura to Senate President Bukola Saraki on October 3, 2016 reportedly attracted the public after the lawmakers said it was what they relied on to reject Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

The report quoted Daura as saying Mr Lawson was wrongly accused by Magu in a bid to settle personal scores.

But the Premium Times report said the DSS lied in the report adding that Lawson was actually involved in the deal and returned his share of the loot to the EFCC as it quoted a top source in the anti-graft agency as presenting the evidence.

According to the report, Lawson allegedly made a payment of $25 million (N7.7 billion) into Fidelity Bank and also facilitated the purchase of Le Méridien Ogeyi Place in Port Harcourt for Mrs Alison-Madueke.

He was said to have been arrested later and made to refund the N94.5 million he allegedly received from Alison-Madueke as commission for his role in the purchase of the hotel.

The report however said it was not clear if the said Lawson had any knowledge that the fund was looted at the time he agreed to help in the purchase of the hotel and was never placed on any watch-list after then.

Premium Times said it was not clear what tasks Lawson, now a managing partner at Financial Advisory and Investment Consultants Limited in Abuja, was handling for the Buhari government as claimed by the DSS and why it became necessary to shield him from prosecution.

The report said an email sent to Don Lawson, his associate, for reaction was not replied. The spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, did not also respond to a text message on the issue.

Source: Naij.com