A private jet owned by President of the Christian Association of
Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor that conveyed $9.3 million cash from
Nigeria to South Africa for an arms deal between the two countries,
had Nigerian crew members, and passengers from Israel and Austria, new
documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES in Johannesburg have shown.
by Nicholas IbekweNov 23, 2014
A private jet owned by President of the Christian Association of
Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor that conveyed $9.3 million cash from
Nigeria to South Africa for an arms deal between the two countries,
had Nigerian crew members, and passengers from Israel and Austria, new
documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES in Johannesburg have shown.Ayo
Oritsejafor
There were three Nigerians aboard the plane, the documents show.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained the manifest of the jet that transported the
huge sum, and has confirmed the identities of the passengers and crew
who delivered the controversial package.
South Africa seized the money early September, accusing the Nigerian
government of violating its laws regulating the transfer of cash.
Another payment by the Nigerian government for arms to combat the
extremist Boko Haram sect, was also confiscated. The second transfer,
totalling $5.7 million, was wired through the banks.
The South African ambassador to Nigeria was later quoted as saying the
money had been returned to Nigeria, a claim that has yet to be
verified.
Details of the first transaction, revealed by a South African
newspaper, City Press, said an Israeli and two Nigerians were aboard
the airplane that transported the sum to Lanseria airport in South
Africa.
The first tranche of the money was conveyed to South Africa on
September 5 in two plastic bag suitcases and two hand luggage aboard
an airplane belonging to Ayo Oritsejafor, the chairman of the
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN.
While the Nigerian government confirmed the transactions, it denied
violating any foreign law. The government also refused to provide the
names of those aboard the airplane.
In its report, widely quoted in the Nigerian media, City Press said
the Israeli passenger, Eyal Mesika, had the key to the combination
lock of the suitcases. The paper also said two Nigerian passengers
were aboard the plane. It quoted South African law enforcement
officials.
The report however did not reveal the identities of the Nigerians, and
South African officials also declined to provide those details to
PREMIUM TIMES when contacted from Nigeria by telephone.
In an investigation that involved visiting South Africa, PREMIUM TIMES
has obtained documents showing details of the transaction, including
the flight manifest of the airplane.
The listing shows that beside Mr. Mesika, the only Nigerians on board
the aircraft were crew members.
The other two passengers who conveyed the cash were Austrians, the
manifest shows.
The two Austrians are named, R. Wolfgang and M. Michael.
The flight crew members of the Project Eagle Air jet with flight
number: N808HE were Ojongbede R.T (captain), Fejoku U, (flight
officer) and George E.E (flight attendant).
The listing contradicts reports that the other passengers were
Nigerians, a claim that set off an intense controversy after the All
Progressives Congress, APC, accused a former militant leader, Dokubo
Asari, of being one of those aboard the plane.The Bombardier jet owned
by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was involved in hauling $9.3m cash in a
cash-for-arm scandal in South Africa
The APC relied on unverified reports by some news websites [not
PREMIUM TIMES] in making the false claim.
Mr. Asari denied the allegation and threatened legal action against
Lai Mohammed, the spokesperson of the APC.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES at the time, Mr. Asari threatened
to physically assault Mr. Mohammed if he failed to get justice in the
courts.
"After all the South Africa People have given the names of people on
the plane and if by next week we go to court and the court is being
manipulated not to give me justice, I will resort to self-help," he
said.
"I have the capacity to resort to self-help. I will not give anybody
any apology because if a man has mouth to malign me then I canse what
I have to fight for myself."
--PREMIUM TIMES
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