By Uchenna Ezeh, The
Guardian,
(with agency
report)
• Saraki,
Lionel Messi, Icelandic PM, Putin’s associates, China’s leader, Cameron’s
father, Saudi Arabia king on list
• I’ve complied with law on asset declaration, says Senate president
• I’ve complied with law on asset declaration, says Senate president
A huge leak
of confidential documents has revealed how the rich and powerful use tax havens
to hide their wealth, as 11 million documents were leaked from one of the
world’s most secretive companies, Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.
They show
how Mossack Fonseca has helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions and avoid
tax.
The company says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and has never been charged with criminal wrongdoing.
The company says it has operated beyond reproach for 40 years and has never been charged with criminal wrongdoing.
Some
Nigerian politicians were named in the leak, as not less than four assets
belonging to the Saraki family — all tucked away in offshore territories — were
uncovered in the leak.
President of
the Senate, Bukola Saraki was reported to have left them (the assets) out while
declaring his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as required by
Nigerian laws.
But the
President of the Senate yesterday said he had fully complied with the law on
asset declaration.
Under the
code of conduct law, a public office holder is required to declare his own
assets, those of his wife as well as assets in the names of his children below
the age of 18.
In his
declaration form, Saraki listed property owned by his wife, Toyin Saraki, to
include a plot of land at Lekki valued at N5 million, which he said was a gift
he received in January 1989.
Mrs. Saraki
was also listed as owner of a property at 15 Bryanston Square, London W1 and 69
Bourne Street, London.
While the first, which rental income was put at £48,000 with a value of £900,000, was acquired in January 1989, the second, which value was put at £2m and had rental value of £150,000, was acquired for business in April 2000.
The Senate President stated in his assets declaration form that his wife held an account in Eco Bank Broad Street, Lagos, where she had N1.5 million at the time he became governor in 2003.
While the first, which rental income was put at £48,000 with a value of £900,000, was acquired in January 1989, the second, which value was put at £2m and had rental value of £150,000, was acquired for business in April 2000.
The Senate President stated in his assets declaration form that his wife held an account in Eco Bank Broad Street, Lagos, where she had N1.5 million at the time he became governor in 2003.
She also
maintained an account in Coutts & Co Strand, London, where she owned
£450,000 and $125,000 in addition to $3 million in Northern Trust International
Banking Corporation Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner.
Mrs. Saraki
was also listed as maintaining substantial shares in European and American
Trading Company, Tyberry Corporation and Eficaz Limited just as she held
500,000 shares, valued at £500,000, at P.C.C (U.K) Ltd. He was however silent
on the number of shares the former first lady had in Haussmann and Tiny Tee
(Nig) Limited.
But In a
reaction to the claim contained in the Panama-based offshore provider, Mossack
Fonseca and shared by the International Consortium of Investigation Journalists
(ICIJ) that he failed to declare assets belonging to his wife, Mrs Toyin
Saraki, in secret offshore territories, Saraki said he has in his different
asset declarations included properties owned individually by himself and his
wife.
A statement
signed by saraki’s special advisers on media, Yusuph Olaniyonu,and released to
journalists in Abuja yesterday, made it clear that:
“The
property in question forms part of Dr. Saraki’s wife’s family asset. It is
public knowledge that Mrs. Saraki comes from a family of independent means and
wealth with numerous and varied assets acquired over decades in family estates
and investments.”
“Furthermore,
the law only requires a public officer to declare both his own assets and those
held by his spouse and his children under 18 years of age. The law does not require
a public officer to declare assets held by the spouse’s family.
The
statement continued: “It is not expected by the law that a public officer
should declare such assets held in the spouse’s family estate. Indeed, the Code
of Conduct form does not make provision for declaration of spouse’s family
assets”, he stated
French
President Francois Hollande hailed the “good revelations” which would “increase
tax revenues from those who commit fraud”.
The
documents show 12 current or former heads of state and at least 60 people
linked to current or former world leaders in the data.
They include
the Icelandic Prime Minister, Sigmundur David Gunnlaugson, who had an
undeclared interest linked to his wife’s wealth. He has said he will not
resign.
The files
also reveal a suspected billion-dollar money laundering ring involving close
associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The
investigation, which started late last year discovered over 11 million records,
which shows how a global industry of law firms and big banks sells financial
secrecy to politicians, fraudsters and drug traffickers as well as
billionaires, celebrities and sports stars.
These are
among the findings of a yearlong investigation by the International Consortium
of Investigative Journalists, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and more
than 100 other news organizations.
In
collaboration with German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and more than 100 other
news organizations ICIJ leaked files exposing offshore companies controlled by
the king of Saudi Arabia, the children of Azerbaijani President, the prime
ministers of Iceland and Pakistan. Also in the list are over 30 individuals and
firms blacklisted by the United States for allegedly doing business with rogue
nations like North Korea and Iran or Mexican drug lords, terrorist
organizations like Hezbollah.
The leaked
files show how Iceland Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson and his wife
secretly owned an offshore firm that held millions of dollars in Icelandic bank
bonds during that country’s financial crisis.
Prominent
world leaders who embraced and instituted anti-corruption programmes featured
in the leaked documents. The files reveal offshore companies linked Ukrainian
President Petro Poroshenko, who has positioned himself as a reformer in a
country shaken by corruption scandals and also the family of China’s top
leader, Xi Jinping, who has vowed to fight “armies of corruption”. Offshore
dealings by the late father of British Prime Minister David Cameron, where also
captured in the leaked file.
In the
investigation which covered global financial dealings ranging from 1977 to late
last year, documents show that banks, law firms and other offshore players have
often failed to follow legal requirements that they make sure their clients are
not involved in criminal enterprises, tax dodging or political corruption. In
some instances, the files show, offshore middlemen have protected themselves
and their clients by concealing suspect transactions or manipulating official
records.
Sports men
are not left out in the web as the data also revealed that reigning FIFA
world’s best player, Lionel Messi, is also found in the documents. The records
show Messi and his father were owners of a Panama company: Mega Star
Enterprises Inc. This adds a new name to the list of shell companies known to
be linked to him. It also reveal that the law firm of Juan Pedro Damiani, a member
of FIFA’s ethics committee, had business relationships with three men who have
been indicted in the FIFA scandal — former FIFA vice president Eugenio
Figueredo and Hugo and Mariano Jinkis, the father-son team accused of paying
bribes to win broadcast rights to Latin American soccer events.
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