AMCON MONEY!
Umana, Ex-Akwa Ibom SSG, Wife in N145m Loan Scandal…To be dragged to Court Soon
*Bank PHB/Keystone released Loan Facility on Dec.17, 2007 to Florence Umana, Ubong Ubiam (Kaniex Integrated Services)
* Submits CAC documents, copy of international passport, Application letter, Board Resolution, Personal Guarantee by Umana’s wife
*AMCON Lawyers: “Investigation by bank/AMCON showed loaners (obligors) fraudulently converts and diverts said facility for the purpose of buying stock/shares of Bank PHB/keystone (AMCON), thus negating, offending or expunging the letter and spirit of the offer graciously granted the obligors herein”-Charles Uhegbu & Co.
* “My principal had confirmed that the allegation is not only false but a blackmail to dent Obong Umana’s image”-Iboro Otongaran, media aide to Obong Umana
BY SAMSON SHOAGA/MANAGING EDITOR, NEW YORK & OKON GIDEON/SPECIAL CRIME/ANTI-GRAFT WRITER, AKWA IBOM
PRESENT situation in Nigeria may not be too favorable to Umana Obong Umana, a former Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government, in company of his wife, Florence and Ubong Ubiam, their business partner whose hands are allegedly found to have been ‘soiled’ in the sum of One Hundred and Forty Five Million Naira (N145, 000, 000, 00) belonging to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
Reports indicate that the trio in conjunction with Kaniex Integrated Services, the front firm used in perpetuating this alleged crime may be dragged before the court for fraudulently conversion of this N145m belonging to AMCON into ‘personal use.’
Naija Standard investigation confirms this in a-pre action notice allegedly sent to Obong, Florence and hubby Umana by AMCON, through their lawyers, Charles Uhegbu a Co.
This notice reveals that on December 17, 2007, Bank PHB/ Keystone (AMCON) granted a loan facility to Florence Umana O. Umana and Ubong Ubiam on behalf of Kaniex Integrated Services Ltd for a period of one and a half years (18 months) for the purpose of constructing the company’s permanent structure.
According to the legal firm, the applicants in a bid to get approval for the loan from the bank allegedly attached the following documents to the loan application:
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) documents, inclusive of particulars of directors, copy of international passport, Application letter, Board Resolution as well as personal guarantee of
Florence etc.
The pre-action notice from the law firm to the loan applicants states that after the “bank magnanimously granted the loan in the applicants favor and the facility was duly accepted,” but the applicants have since refused, neglected or rejected to liquidate the said facility when the bank called in for their money, despite several demand notice.
AMCON Lawyers
In the notice, the legal firm stated that the refusal of the loan applicants to defray the loan in question is allegedly, “due to your criminal conversion and diversion.”
The law firm maintained that from investigations, the bank/AMCON discovered that the loaners (obligors), fraudulently converted and diverted the said facility for the purpose of buying stock/shares of Bank PHB/keystone (AMCON), thus negating, offending or expunging the letter and spirit of the offer graciously granted the obligors herein.”
Continuing, the legal firm stated, “This singular act of criminality is obviously depicted on the bank statement which of course expressly offends every known criminal law globally.”
“Permit me to further state that in other to feign ignorance of the said fraudulent act, you completely distanced yourselves from this obligation. Furthermore, you have maintained that you are/were not aware of the existence of such transaction with our client.
“However, it is on record that vital documents such as your international passport evidenced this transaction. It is also on record that your cronies were used to execute several fraudulent transactions from the bank statement.”
According to the law firm’s letter: “Moreover, you have also stated that the facility was granted without your express consent or board approval. As a matter of fact, this is highly false and misleading as the board resolutions as well as other documents obviously evidenced full consent.”
The statement further added, “Sadly you further admitted that you do not owe our client any form of obligation, since the facility was granted to ‘unknown persons’. Much to our chagrin, you further contended that you are highly politically connected and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Nigerian Police cannot arrest, investigate or prosecute you.”
“It is quite pathetic and ridiculous that in our 21st century/computer age, some people will hide under the pretext of “the doctrine of alibi” to perpetrate such heinous crimes.”
Final warning from AMCON law firm: “TAKE NOTICE, that this letter serves as a pre-action notice of intention to commence legal action against you as well as KANIEX Integrated Services Ltd, should you fail to honor your obligation within the above mentioned transaction within 14 days from today.”
Attempts made to speak with Iboro Otongaran, media aide to Obong Umana, were not successful, but it we gathered from media reports as stated by Otuekong Bonny Nyong who coincidentally handles media/ publicity on behalf of the former SSG that his principal had confirmed that the allegation is not only false but a blackmail to dent Obong Umana’s image.
EDITOR: We are awaiting the response of Umana to this damning scandal…