Malabu: Jonathan’s Bodyguard’s Identity Generates Confusion In Italian Court

The identity of an alleged security aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, generated ripples at an Italian Court, last Wednesday, as hearing resumed on the controversial Malabu oil deal.
Victor Nwafor – said to be a security aide of Jonathan – was alleged to have informed a former manager of Eni and defendant in the corruption trial, Vincenzo Armanna, about cash being taken to the house of Casula Roberto, another party to the controversial deal.
Earlier in January, a certain Nwafor gave evidence in the trial via video conference, and denied knowledge of Armanna’s claim.
He also denied knowing Armanna.
In July, Armanna re-stated in court that Nwafor told him about hundreds of millions of cash of the OPL 245 proceeds which allegedly got to Jonathan.
But last Wednesday, Armanna’s lawyer asked the court to hear once again the witness “Victor Nwafor”, arguing that the right person has finally been identified, and was willing to stand in court.
Armanna’s defence informed the court that in a week’s time, the “real Victor Nwafor” will send a statement detailing all circumstances and why he wants to be heard.
It was gathered that the court called for a break to decide on whether to accept the new witness.
But according to Antonio Tricarico of the Italian civic group, Re:Common, who was at the court, all other defences stood against the option.
Subsequently, the court rejected the request by Armanna’s defence to hear the “real Victor Nwafor”.
According to Armanna, the “real Victor Nwafor” knew of two trolleys full of $50million in cash which ended up in Casula’s villa in Nigeria as kickbacks for Eni’s managers.
The Malabu scandal involved the transfer of about $1.1billion by Shell and Eni through the Nigerian Government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete.
From accounts controlled by Etete, about half the money ($520 million) went to accounts of companies controlled by Aliyu Abubakar, popularly known in Nigeria as the owner of AA Oil.
Anti-corruption investigators and activists suspect he fronted for top officials of the Jonathan administration as well as officials of Shell and Eni.
The transaction was authorised in 2011 by Jonathan through some of his cabinet ministers and the money was payment for OPL 245, one of Nigeria’s richest oil blocks.