Lawyer in EFCC Net over Sale of Embassy Property- source:Nigeria Thisday

Farida Waziri, EFCC boss

 Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Tuesday arrested a Nigerian lawyer based in the United States, Emeka Ugwuonye, over the fraudulent sale of Nigerian Embassy property in Washington.

Ugwuonye is answering questions over the sale of four choice property between 2005 and 2007 worth $26 million. The anti-graft agency which launched an investigation into the matter last year is seeking to determine those who benefitted from the proceeds of the sale which is yet to be remitted to government coffers.

A dependable source told THISDAY that the agency is also seeking those who are in custody of the proceeds of the sale as well as the tax refund.

Ugwuonye, who is believed to have received a Power of Attorney from former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, George Obiozor, for the transaction, was picked up at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) last Saturday.

He was subsequently handed over to the commission who had declared him wanted last year.
The property in question include Nigerian Ambassador’s official residence located at 6705 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, Maryland. It was sold in August 2007 for $1.6 million.

He also sold a property located at 3100 Woodlawn Avenue in Washington DC, in August 2005 for $3.25 million.
Others are property located at 1333 16th Street, along Ritz Hotel in Washington DC, sold for $7million in 2006 and another property located at 2201 M Street, Northwest, Washing-ton DC, sold at the cost of $14.2 million.

Ugwuonye had allegedly claimed that the $1.6 million he held back was a tax refund from United States Inland Revenue Service which he said would be converted to offset the bill for an unrelated transaction he carried out for the embassy sometime in the past.
EFCC spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed that Ugwuonye, was in their custody and undergoing further interrogation.