Kenya, Africa,Daniel Arap Moi and the looted billions
A post from the Wikileaks mailing list details the looting of that country's coffers by the Daniel Arap Moi regime. It reads like a high-finance political thriller, and what precipitated the leak was the fact that the new president has now gotten into an alliance with Arap Moi and suppressed the report on corruption that it commissioned itself after coming to power on an anti-corruption and good governance ticket.The disturbing thing about all this is not the fact that this comes out now, or that it substantiates what many suspected all along, but that this is probably only a small indication of what is really happening on the African continent, and that one need not invoke colonialism and European malice to blame for Africa's problems anymore, since African leaders are capable enough on their own, to destroy their own countries' economies and letting the ordinary people who were tricked into voting for them live in horrible conditions and circumstances.
We also see the trend emerging in South Africa, the 58 billion rand weapons scandal springs to mind, where the new "liberators" of the country start helping themselves to the taxpayer's resources, seemingly with impunity and with apparent disregard for ethics, morals, laws and common human decency.
A review of the Mail & Guardian newspaper's headlines over the span of a couple of weeks will normally give an indication of the sick state that the country is in economically, socially, politically, and with leaders refusing to take a stand against Zimbabwe's dictator, their affinity for all things Chinese and their support for Iran to have nuclear capacity, one cannot but have a sense of evil foreboding for the African continent
Gideon Gono Steals Money from NGO coffers to Fund Mugabe and Build Himself a 112 Roomed Manion
ZIMBABWE – HARARE – It has been revealed that Gideon Gono as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe abused funds meant to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in 2008 to aid Zanu PF’s political campaign. The Zimbabwe Telegraph reports.Mugabe's
right hand-man, Gideon Gono, is building a 112-roomed mansion, with four
helipads in Harare's plush suburb of Borrowdale.
Architects told ZimOnline that they expected the opulent structure,
whose interior furnishings are mostly imported, to cost more than US$5
million (about Z$25 billion) on completion. US$5 million is enough to build
and equip at least four primary schools in Zimbabwe.The house, whose construction began in 2001, when Gono was still head
of the partly government-owned Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe, is located at
Number 2, Luna Road on Sunlands Farm, which is part of Borrowdale Estate.
Gono could not be reached for comment last night. The central bank
governor - who has led a government crackdown against corrupt company
executives and politicians who looted public funds to finance lavish
lifestyles - is however said to have denied having anything to do with the
Borrowdale mansion
right hand-man, Gideon Gono, is building a 112-roomed mansion, with four
helipads in Harare's plush suburb of Borrowdale.
Architects told ZimOnline that they expected the opulent structure,
whose interior furnishings are mostly imported, to cost more than US$5
million (about Z$25 billion) on completion. US$5 million is enough to build
and equip at least four primary schools in Zimbabwe.The house, whose construction began in 2001, when Gono was still head
of the partly government-owned Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe, is located at
Number 2, Luna Road on Sunlands Farm, which is part of Borrowdale Estate.
Gono could not be reached for comment last night. The central bank
governor - who has led a government crackdown against corrupt company
executives and politicians who looted public funds to finance lavish
lifestyles - is however said to have denied having anything to do with the
Borrowdale mansion
Cecilia Ibru Nigerian Millionaire Rogue Banker Thief and Fraudster
Cecilia Ibru needs no introduction in Nigeria. With a net worth of over $1.2billion she is ranked among the richest in Nigeria and Africa but lately she has been embroiled in financial scandal. Fondly called “First Lady” of Nigerian banking sector, Ibru’s piled up awards after awards including Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).As the awards came, her ego grew bigger and greed set in very quickly as she embarked on a property acquisition binge that spanned the globe.
The Times of Nigeria investigation in the United States shows that Cecilia Ibru in the past three years alone bought over twenty five choice properties in the United States of America. Some of these properties were acquired using fronts including her daughter, Janet Ibru and son Obaro.
She also has properties worth millions of dollars in the United Kingdom, Dubai and South Africa
The Times of Nigeria investigation in the United States shows that Cecilia Ibru in the past three years alone bought over twenty five choice properties in the United States of America. Some of these properties were acquired using fronts including her daughter, Janet Ibru and son Obaro.
She also has properties worth millions of dollars in the United Kingdom, Dubai and South Africa
She didn’t even trust her daughter enough to have her keep the properties long as she promptly had the properties transferred back to her name most times just three months after purchase for free meaning that she never paid her daughter for the transfer of ownership.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has charged Ibru with money laundering amounting to a staggering 25.4 billion Naira ($203m).
Some of the money our investigation revealed was used to finance her expensive lifestyle and purchase of exquisite properties around the world.
The Times of Nigeria is in possession of 25 property deeds in the United States of America belonging Cecelia Ibru with a total of 11 in the state of Maryland.
In less than 24 months, she splurged close to $6million into 11 properties in gated communities in Prince Georges Country, in the U.S state of Maryland. The properties are all ensconced gated communities reserved for wealthy Washington, DC metro area affluent.
In this report, we will focus solely on the Maryland properties. We will do a report on proIbru’s first foray into Maryland’s property market was a $452,508.00 property nestled in a newly developed gated community. The property was developed by Toll MD V Limited of Maryland. The deed shows that a front was used to buy the property which was later transferred to Cecilia Ibru. The deed shows the property, located on 4155 Chariot Way; Upper Marlboro was closed on March 12th 2009 by one Anita DaSilva Ibru.
On April 14th, 2009, Anita DaSilva Ibru closed on another property on the same street. This time the cost was $440, 105.00 on 4145 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro. A week after this buy, another property next door was guzzled up at a cost of $451, 629.00 on 4139 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro. A another front was used this time around to avoid suspicion of Maryland authorities the name of Edesiri Onatejiroghene Ibru was used to pay for the property. On that same day, Obaro and Hirut Ibru bought another property on number 4149 of the same street at the cost of $473, 657.00.
Probably tired of using front in her dealings, Cecelia directly bought house numbers 4141 and 4143 on Chariot Way on April 13 2009 at the cost of $441, 790.00 and $439, 362.00.
On July 22nd 2008, she bought 14605 Hawley Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 for $399,990.00 through her daughter, Janet Ibru. The same Janet had early acquired 14630 Hawley Lane, Upper Marlboro on the May 17th 2008 at the cost of $460,703.00. On October 28th of 2008 Janet, again, bough the house on 14721 Argos Place, Upper Marlboro for $457,950.00. This was followed by the acquisition of 14719 Argos Place, Upper Marlboro at a cost of $451,840.00 on November 26th 2008
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has charged Ibru with money laundering amounting to a staggering 25.4 billion Naira ($203m).
Some of the money our investigation revealed was used to finance her expensive lifestyle and purchase of exquisite properties around the world.
The Times of Nigeria is in possession of 25 property deeds in the United States of America belonging Cecelia Ibru with a total of 11 in the state of Maryland.
In less than 24 months, she splurged close to $6million into 11 properties in gated communities in Prince Georges Country, in the U.S state of Maryland. The properties are all ensconced gated communities reserved for wealthy Washington, DC metro area affluent.
In this report, we will focus solely on the Maryland properties. We will do a report on proIbru’s first foray into Maryland’s property market was a $452,508.00 property nestled in a newly developed gated community. The property was developed by Toll MD V Limited of Maryland. The deed shows that a front was used to buy the property which was later transferred to Cecilia Ibru. The deed shows the property, located on 4155 Chariot Way; Upper Marlboro was closed on March 12th 2009 by one Anita DaSilva Ibru.
On April 14th, 2009, Anita DaSilva Ibru closed on another property on the same street. This time the cost was $440, 105.00 on 4145 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro. A week after this buy, another property next door was guzzled up at a cost of $451, 629.00 on 4139 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro. A another front was used this time around to avoid suspicion of Maryland authorities the name of Edesiri Onatejiroghene Ibru was used to pay for the property. On that same day, Obaro and Hirut Ibru bought another property on number 4149 of the same street at the cost of $473, 657.00.
Probably tired of using front in her dealings, Cecelia directly bought house numbers 4141 and 4143 on Chariot Way on April 13 2009 at the cost of $441, 790.00 and $439, 362.00.
On July 22nd 2008, she bought 14605 Hawley Lane, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 for $399,990.00 through her daughter, Janet Ibru. The same Janet had early acquired 14630 Hawley Lane, Upper Marlboro on the May 17th 2008 at the cost of $460,703.00. On October 28th of 2008 Janet, again, bough the house on 14721 Argos Place, Upper Marlboro for $457,950.00. This was followed by the acquisition of 14719 Argos Place, Upper Marlboro at a cost of $451,840.00 on November 26th 2008
Frederick Chiluba - Thief
Mr. Chiluba owned more than 100 pairs of size 6 shoes, many affixed with his initials in brass. He is just a little over five feet tall, and each pair has heels close to two inches high.
LUSAKA, Zambia — As the gleaming black Mercedes-Benz pulled up to the courthouse, an aide rushed to the passenger door, bowed deeply and then ceremoniously opened it. A foot, finely shod in a dove-gray shoe, appeared, followed by the rest of the man, Frederick Chiluba.
For a decade, he was president of Zambia. Now, more than seven years after he left office, a court is deciding whether he stole from his impoverished people. A verdict is to be announced July 20
As common thieves and drug peddlers milled about, Mr. Chiluba strode through the corridors to his hearing, shaking hands, smiling magnanimously, throwing an arm around a co-defendant to chuckle over a private joke.
Amid men in dingy shirts and worn trousers, he was impeccably dressed in a double-breasted charcoal suit, with a red silk handkerchief peeking from his breast pocket and a gold, diamond-studded watch glinting at his wrist.
But once he was in the dock, his jovial demeanor evaporated. In the thin, sickly light that filtered in from narrow windows one recent morning, Mr. Chiluba replied somberly when the magistrate asked why his lawyers had failed to present a written summation on time.
“I wasn’t aware, your honor, until today that the submissions are not made,” he said.
Mr. Chiluba is a rarity in Africa, a Big Man brought low by corruption charges. He says he has done nothing illegal, but his many critics say his fall was brought on by the usual sins of the powerful — greed, vanity and pride — and a major tactical blunder: he underestimated the man he handpicked in 2001 to succeed him as president, the plodding, diligent lawyer Levy Mwanawasa.
Mr. Mwanawasa died last year after an illness. But his pursuit of Mr. Chiluba outlived him.
“Chiluba called himself the political engineer and he believed Mwanawasa would be his puppet,” said Mark Chona, who was appointed by Mr. Mwanawasa to lead a task force to investigate abuses of the Chiluba era. “But he misread Mwanawasa. For us, it was divine providence.”
Even as Mr. Chiluba awaited judgment, his wife, Regina, was convicted on corruption charges in March and sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
Mr. Chiluba faced a London civil court judgment in 2007 in a case brought by Zambia’s attorney general. He is still contesting the payment of damages.
In that case, Justice Peter Smith of the High Court ruled that the former president owed Zambia $57 million for, among other things, expenditures from a secret intelligence agency bank account in London that was “set up primarily to steal government money.”
Amid men in dingy shirts and worn trousers, he was impeccably dressed in a double-breasted charcoal suit, with a red silk handkerchief peeking from his breast pocket and a gold, diamond-studded watch glinting at his wrist.
But once he was in the dock, his jovial demeanor evaporated. In the thin, sickly light that filtered in from narrow windows one recent morning, Mr. Chiluba replied somberly when the magistrate asked why his lawyers had failed to present a written summation on time.
“I wasn’t aware, your honor, until today that the submissions are not made,” he said.
Mr. Chiluba is a rarity in Africa, a Big Man brought low by corruption charges. He says he has done nothing illegal, but his many critics say his fall was brought on by the usual sins of the powerful — greed, vanity and pride — and a major tactical blunder: he underestimated the man he handpicked in 2001 to succeed him as president, the plodding, diligent lawyer Levy Mwanawasa.
Mr. Mwanawasa died last year after an illness. But his pursuit of Mr. Chiluba outlived him.
“Chiluba called himself the political engineer and he believed Mwanawasa would be his puppet,” said Mark Chona, who was appointed by Mr. Mwanawasa to lead a task force to investigate abuses of the Chiluba era. “But he misread Mwanawasa. For us, it was divine providence.”
Even as Mr. Chiluba awaited judgment, his wife, Regina, was convicted on corruption charges in March and sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
Mr. Chiluba faced a London civil court judgment in 2007 in a case brought by Zambia’s attorney general. He is still contesting the payment of damages.
In that case, Justice Peter Smith of the High Court ruled that the former president owed Zambia $57 million for, among other things, expenditures from a secret intelligence agency bank account in London that was “set up primarily to steal government money.”