It was reported that the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority in South Africa seized the $5.7 million (about N952 million) for allegedly being the proceeds of illegal transactions.
While the private jet that flew the three men, 2 Nigerians and an Israeli to South Africa in September had been found to belong to Pastor Ayo Orisejafor, City Express reported that the passengers had a permit signed by Nigeria's Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
It was also reported that the newly diacovered transaction 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 reported that the deal fell apart after Cerberus which had earlier received R 60 million (N1.02 billion) from Nigeria in its account at Standard Bank, tried to refund 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 reported.
“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 transactions was related to the first seizure.
Mncube said "however, both are now the subject of a criminal investigation and all possible information and connections are being investigated.”
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