Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, on Tuesday, confirmed that the ‘Aisha Buhari’ that was linked to the bribery scandal involving U.S. Congressman, Williams Jefferson, is not the President’s wife.
Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, had in statement issued on Monday alleged that the Aisha Buhari named in the scandal was President Buhari’s wife.
“The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal (sic). When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the President’s wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read,” Fayose had said in his statement. READ HERE: Fayose releases documents, claims Buhari and his wife are corrupt
Lamorde, who was removed as the chairman of EFCC in December, 2015, by President Buhari, however, revealed otherwise while speaking with Premium Times.
“I can tell you authoritatively that the Aisha Buhari named in that case is not President Buhari’s wife. It is another Aisha Buhari entirely.”
“I was the director of operations at the EFCC at the time so I know about the case very well. I can tell you that it is not her (President Buhari’s wife). That much we established.”
At the time of the investigation, Lamorde as the director of operations had coordinated with the US government in investigating the scandal.
“It is unfair to link the President’s wife with that case. She was definitely not the one involved, and Fayose and other Nigerians should know this.”
According to the court documents, the Aisha Buhari mentioned transferred money to the USA politician through a proxy.
The document shows that, “Government Exhibits 36-87 (6/26/02 $170,000 wire transfer from account in Nigeria in the name of Aisha Buhari to an account in the name of The ANJ Group, LLC, identifying “William Jefferson” as Beneficiary).”