south African authorities have seized another US
$5.7 million arms money from Nigeria, just three
weeks after the $9.3 million 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 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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